Please help identify this old baseball/softball and age

[alb2121]

trying to identify what exactly this is baseball or softball or something else. it measures 17 inches around approx. and there are couple little cracks in the cover and appears to have white yarn inside. the stitches kind of look like hemp rope material maybe. here are few pics of it and one next to omlb.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v3...t=IMG_1933.jpg

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v3...=6-2-06013.jpg
thanks

[b.heagy]

Sounds like a "Clincher" (softball grown wild - popular in the chicago area). I have one approx 16 inches in circumfrance made by J. De Beer & Son but my example has steam welded seems. This type of ball was invented in 1931. Makes a neat display piece.
Bill

[alb2121]

thank you very much for info!!! did you look at the pics also?
anyone else with info please respond too thanks

[slidekellyslide]

It's an oversized softball....the multicolor stitching dates this to the 1920-30's.