O. Ball Holster

[boykinlp]

Well, it has been quite awhile since I have had anything to show you folks! This week, I got 2 "new to me" holsters. I will show the second one when I get some pictures.

This one is an Oliver Ball holster. I have seen a few of his holsters posted on this forum, but not many. Oliver Ball was a Lt. (Homicide Detective) on the Ft. Worth PD from 1940-1976. He made holsters for academy graduates and for many lawmen in Texas. He passed away in 1983.

This holster really "spoke" to me because it was made by a cop for a cop, it was marked for a police department, and I bet it was actually used by an officer. When I received it, it was pretty well used. I did a little rehab with Blackrock Leather N Rich. I may hit it again. I suspect the SA PD is San Antonio Police Department. It could be for a snub nosed Detective Special or perhaps an S&W M&P (Model 10). Unfortunately, I don't have one of these to try it. If one of you have pity for me, you could gift me a nickel pre-10 to try!! Here are some pictures:

 

[bracebeemer]

I like that holster! very good quality and the police history just adds to it's desirability.
Bill

 

[jframejoey]

Boykinlp, whats the imprint by the safety strap on the inside of the holster? Is it rounded like a Colt cylinder release or more oval like a Smith?

 

[fat tom]

I was close to bidding on that one Larry,but decided not to at the last minute. Next time you're down this way,I'll let you try a transitional nickel M&P in it for fit.
f.t.

 

[DevilDog72]

I was bidding on that holster myself...got too rich for me. Congrats on a very nice unit.

 

[boykinlp]

Boykinlp, whats the imprint by the safety strap on the inside of the holster? Is it rounded like a Colt cylinder release or more oval like a Smith?

It is actually 2 dimples about 3/8" apart.

I was bidding on that holster myself...got too rich for me. Congrats on a very nice unit.

Yeah, I probably over paid, but like I said, it spoke to me.

 

[les.b]

Hey!!! I was bidding on that one too!! That's what, three of us bidding, and a fourth thinking about it!!

I guess that you can blame us that you paid so much for it!!!

I have 6 Detective Special (D Frame Colt) sized guns, and figured that it would fit either those or my K frame Smith snubs.

Glad one of the Forum Brothers ended up with it, though!! It sure spoke to me as well, and for the same reason...Made by a lawman (I think Oliver Ball was a Lieutenant ... A Homicide Detective on the Fort Worth PD.). He supposedly made these holsters for other police officers and agencies there in Texas. (Whoops...I just went back and reread your original post, and see that you already knew that!! My bad!!)

Best Regards, Les

 

[bruce5781]

I was watching, and in fact gave another forum member a heads up on it. I was very surprised at what it went for. Super piece of history.

Regards,
Bruce

 

[les.b]

Actually, I went up to $130, and would have probably went higher, but got distracted!! When I remembered, I had missed the boat! Fortunately that happens to me a lot, (I am getting older, even though I hate to admit it!). or I would buy twice as much stuff!!

As I said, I'm really glad that one of us got it though... As you say, a true piece of history. I still may do a little more research on Oliver Ball... I did a little when I started bidding and am fascinated by what I have found so far. If I find anything new, I'll be sure and post it here.

I'm running on generator right now, a really intense storm just went through...I'm up at my cabin in the woods, and I just came in from cutting up some downed trees so I can get out to work in the morning... Watched a tree blow down just outside the door, and it just missed the jeep. Well, it beats living in a city.

Best Regards, Les

 

[rednichols]

Boykinlp, whats the imprint by the safety strap on the inside of the holster? Is it rounded like a Colt cylinder release or more oval like a Smith?

Good catch, the indent looks like Colt's latch. Proportionally the holster is not right for 2" K frame and I'd have expected J Smith and now, D Colt.

 

[boykinlp]

Hey!!! I was bidding on that one too!! That's what, three of us bidding, and a fourth thinking about it!!

I guess that you can blame us that you paid so much for it!!!

Best Regards, Les

I was watching, and in fact gave another forum member a heads up on it. I was very surprised at what it went for. Super piece of history.

Regards,
Bruce

I thought an O. Ball holster would go "under the radar"! When I posted on the Colt forum, there was another bidder from there!

 

[bruce5781]

I thought an O. Ball holster would go "under the radar"! When I posted on the Colt forum, there was another bidder from there!

I actually thought I could slip in and grab it for about $35 [emoji1]

Regards,
Bruce

 

[DevilDog72]

I went higher than 35....by a bit. I thought I had it there for while...oh well.
Enjoy your new...to you...holster. Oh, I thought a pre 36 would work out really great in it. Actually saved me some $$$ cause I don't even have one.
Would have went out a had to procure one.

 

[boykinlp]

Good catch, the indent looks like Colt's latch. Proportionally the holster is not right for 2" K frame and I'd have expected J Smith and now, D Colt.

Red,
I have a j-frame and tried it. It was too loose in the holster.

 

[rockquarry]

Anyone interested might do a search here on Oliver Ball. This has come up before. He certainly made a good holster.

 

[iPac]

Red,
I have a j-frame and tried it. It was too loose in the holster.

The indent definitely looks like a Colt latch made it. Red nailed it. Suppose you need to venture to the dark side and get yourself a Detective. You can thank me later.

Really nice holster though. Congrats.

 

[boykinlp]

Anyone interested might do a search here on Oliver Ball. This has come up before. He certainly made a good holster.

After I won the holster, I tried doing some internet research on him. If any of you folks have an Ancestry.com account maybe you can find more info. I did find a few interesting things about him. Here is what I could find in addition to what I posted in the first post:

1. Below is a picture from 1943 that came from here:

Oliver Ball, Golden Gloves instructor . UTA Libraries

2. Apparently he was very involved with Golden Gloves. In the early 40's he was an instructor.

3. I found an article from the Amarillo Daily News from January 20, 1949 that talked about him being a Golden Gloves referee:

Amarillo Daily News from Amarillo, Texas on January 20, 1949 . Page 12

"The others, who will alternate with Andrews, the chief referee, in the ring, are Oliver Ball of Fort Worth, for several years one of the top referees at the state Golden Gloves, and J. C, Oakley of Amarillo. Oakley served efficiently during the 1947 and 1948 regional tourneys, Contestants thus are assured of impartial, expert judging, of alert ringwork, and of quick but wise decisions whenever the situation indicates a bout should be halted."

4. I found a story from the Chicago Daily Tribune from March 19, 1970 from a bout that took place in Las Vegas here:

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1970/03/19/page/150/article/3-chicago-boxers-advance-in-las-vegas

"Thompson's "thing" is the knockout. The colorful heavyweight did it the T.K.O. way tonight, bombing Jesus Malonado of Elizabeth, N.J., so relentlessly that Referee Oliver Ball stopped the fight 44 seconds after it began."

5. I found another story that talked about him being a Golden Gloves referee in 1976 here:

Danny Adams - BoxRec

"The amazing thing about Adams, in 1977, was his ability to box again. In December of 1976, he was shot in the heart and lung during an attempted gas-station robbery, where he had been set up by a "friend." Adams had given the friend money to go inside the station to pay for gas, while Adams pumped it in his car. The so-called "friend," taking such a long time to pay, caused Adams to go inside the station to see what was the delay. When Adams got inside, he saw the "friend" with a gun pointed toward the station's attendant. As Adams confronted the "friend," the frighten attendant pulled a gun and shot him, believing that "the two crooks started arguing over who was going to get the loot." Adams recovered from his bullet wounds enough to resume boxing in two months, and after the robbery situation was cleared up by the great investigation of Fort Worth police detective, Lt. Oliver Ball, who was also a Golden Gloves referee."

So, apparently he was a referee for quite a while. First at the state level, then (I guess) the national level.

We know he died in 1983.

 

[rockquarry]

There is mention of Ball in a Ft. Worth newspaper article ( maybe Ft. Worth Star-Telegram) about 1952 or so and his involvement in an investigation where a Ft. Worth detective was killed by robbery suspect.

 

[wheelgun610]

Nice looking holster. I actually thought about bidding on it. Then I saw that the seller decided to hide the bidders' ID's. Sellers do that under pretense of protecting the bidders' privacy, but all it really does is make it impossible for legit bidders to spot a shill. I won't bid on anything unless I can be assured there's no shill bidding involved. It's happening a lot on ebay, and they won't do anything to stop it.