Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
With the regular season over, the Wild Card weekend almost upon us, and the Divisional playoffs, Conference championships and the Super Bowl just around the corner, I thought I would have a little fun.
So, welcome to the National Tool League, fantasy football style, circa 1954!
This league features NFL teams – with a twist.
Instead of their prowess on the old gridiron, each NFL team will be represented by the tool manufacturers that were located in the team’s host city or in their surrounding geographical fan base area (according to the NFL’s current official fan map) – in 1954.
Why 1954?
That was the last year that most of the classic US automotive toolmakers, founded in the early part of the century by men who actually knew engines and tools (as opposed to corporate wonks), would operate as full-service independent companies. There had been some acquisitions prior to that (e.g., P&C and JP Danielson to Plomb in the 40’s, PEXTO to Billings & Spencer in 1951), but most of those companies continued making tools as wholly-owned brands, in their own plants, in their own style, through the early 1950’s. In 1955, when Blackhawk’s entire hand tool line was sold to New Britain, and all their manufacturing equipment hauled back east to Connecticut, becoming a managed brand of New Britain, it was the beginning of the end. Companies fell like dominoes after that.
In 1956, Utica was bought by Kelsey-Hayes.
In 1957, Bonney, already bought out by Miller Mfgring of Detroit a few years earlier, was moved to Alliance, Ohio; and Plomb changed its name to Pendleton.
In 1959, Pendleton bought Vlchek.
In 1960, Crescent fell out of family hands and became Crescent-Niagara, run by stockbrokers.
In 1961, Kelsey-Hayes bought Herbrand.
In 1962, 1963, and 1964, Crescent-Niagara bought Billings & Spencer, Barcalo, and Bridgeport Hardware and Manufacturing, becoming the first big conglomerate. In 1964, Kelsey-Hayes bought Bonney.
In 1967, Triangle bought Kelsey-Hayes and moved the Bonney, Utica, and Herbrand lines to Orangeburg, SC, becoming the second big conglomerate.
In 1968, Crescent-Niagara, already a conglomerate, became part of Cooper Industries, an even bigger conglomerate. Ironically, New Britain, which started the ball rolling, became a part of Litton Industries, and eventually, the Stanley empire.
The rest of the modern era story is just too ugly to retell.
In short, 1954 was the end of the vintage American tool world as we know it, in my opinion. Except for a handful of famous holdouts (Snap-On, Champion DeArment –now Channellock, Ridge, Wilde, etc), it’s all gone to hell (the bookkeeper’s bottom line!) or foreign production (same as hell!) in a hand basket (standardization!) since then.
So, that’s why 1954. A Pre-Expansion fantasy tool league, if you will. If you disagree, start your own fantasy tool league!
So, welcome to the National Tool League, fantasy football style, circa 1954!
This league features NFL teams – with a twist.
Instead of their prowess on the old gridiron, each NFL team will be represented by the tool manufacturers that were located in the team’s host city or in their surrounding geographical fan base area (according to the NFL’s current official fan map) – in 1954.
Why 1954?
That was the last year that most of the classic US automotive toolmakers, founded in the early part of the century by men who actually knew engines and tools (as opposed to corporate wonks), would operate as full-service independent companies. There had been some acquisitions prior to that (e.g., P&C and JP Danielson to Plomb in the 40’s, PEXTO to Billings & Spencer in 1951), but most of those companies continued making tools as wholly-owned brands, in their own plants, in their own style, through the early 1950’s. In 1955, when Blackhawk’s entire hand tool line was sold to New Britain, and all their manufacturing equipment hauled back east to Connecticut, becoming a managed brand of New Britain, it was the beginning of the end. Companies fell like dominoes after that.
In 1956, Utica was bought by Kelsey-Hayes.
In 1957, Bonney, already bought out by Miller Mfgring of Detroit a few years earlier, was moved to Alliance, Ohio; and Plomb changed its name to Pendleton.
In 1959, Pendleton bought Vlchek.
In 1960, Crescent fell out of family hands and became Crescent-Niagara, run by stockbrokers.
In 1961, Kelsey-Hayes bought Herbrand.
In 1962, 1963, and 1964, Crescent-Niagara bought Billings & Spencer, Barcalo, and Bridgeport Hardware and Manufacturing, becoming the first big conglomerate. In 1964, Kelsey-Hayes bought Bonney.
In 1967, Triangle bought Kelsey-Hayes and moved the Bonney, Utica, and Herbrand lines to Orangeburg, SC, becoming the second big conglomerate.
In 1968, Crescent-Niagara, already a conglomerate, became part of Cooper Industries, an even bigger conglomerate. Ironically, New Britain, which started the ball rolling, became a part of Litton Industries, and eventually, the Stanley empire.
The rest of the modern era story is just too ugly to retell.
In short, 1954 was the end of the vintage American tool world as we know it, in my opinion. Except for a handful of famous holdouts (Snap-On, Champion DeArment –now Channellock, Ridge, Wilde, etc), it’s all gone to hell (the bookkeeper’s bottom line!) or foreign production (same as hell!) in a hand basket (standardization!) since then.
So, that’s why 1954. A Pre-Expansion fantasy tool league, if you will. If you disagree, start your own fantasy tool league!
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