DeBeer Lacrosse is one of the oldest
sports equipment manufacturers in the United States. It is retailer of equipment for
lacrosse, and sponsors programs such as
Virginia Cavaliers men's lacrosse
The Virginia Cavaliers men's lacrosse team represents the University of Virginia in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's lacrosse. The Cavaliers compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and plays home games at K ...
at the
University of Virginia and the 2009 championship
USA women's lacrosse team.
History
Originally J. deBeer and Son, Inc, it was founded by Jacob deBeer in 1889 making
baseballs
A baseball is a ball used in the sport of the same name. The ball consists of a rubber or cork center wrapped in yarn and covered with white natural horsehide or cowhide, or a synthetic composite leather. A regulation baseball is 9 to 9ΒΌ inche ...
in
Johnstown, New York. In 1934 they created the patented "clincher"
softball, which was invented by Frederick S. deBeer, who was the founder's son, and who eventually was inducted in the Chicago 16" Softball Hall of Fam
Fritz deBeer, Jr., Dick Pollak, Jim Muhlfelder, and Bob Campbell later joined the business and expanded to sports manufacturing. In the 1980s the baseball division was bought by Worth Inc. and Muhlfelder transformed deBeer into a lacrosse company. Using previous baseball experience, they created the first CU31, making
Lacrosse stick#Shaft, lacrosse shafts lighter as well as stronger with the use of metal
baseball bat technology.
In 2000, DeBeer began a line of women's lacrosse equipment. Their first stick, The Apex, was the first women's lacrosse head to legally have a pocket in their stick, which significantly changed the women's game.
References
Sporting goods manufacturers of the United States
Lacrosse equipment
{{US-manufacturing-company-stub