Cracks, Grain and Pine Tar (Part 1)
Joe Orlando -
Collecting game-used bats can be a lot of fun, but many collectors feel insecure about starting a collection. There is certainly a lack of available information about collecting game-used bats, so we chose the 5 most commonly asked questions and provided answers for each. Some questions are certainly more important than others, but the purpose is to educate those who are interested in collecting bats and don't really know enough about them to feel safe. Let's get started.
"How do you know if a bat is real"
This is one of the best aspects to collecting game-used bats. With bats, there is no doubt as to whether the bat was actually ordered by the player for game use or whether the bat is some type of show, store, or limited edition model bat. Distinct labeling separates the real gamers from all other bats, a bat's authenticity is not arguable anymore.
With the availability of company shipping records and in-depth research performed by recognized bat experts, we can now determine the authenticity of a bat without question. For years, due to a major lack of information, no one seemed to know what was a true gamer and what was not. Today, the majority of the mystery is nonexistent so the level of bat authentication has vastly improved. Dating bats is much easier than it was 10 years ago.
Besides bat labeling on the barrel, knob labeling and wood grain can also help us determine what era a bat was from. If shipping records are available, we can pinpoint when a player received a certain model bat. For instance, I once owned a Ted Williams bat that could be pinpointed to 1954. The reason you could pinpoint it is because the shipping records showed that he only ordered that particular model, length and weight in the spring of 1954 and never ordered that type of bat before or after that.
Some dealers will try to market a bat by saying this is a real game bat made to the exact specifications as the player's own game bat. This is commonly seen but you need to be wary because a real game bat is different from a replica bat created for autograph signings or resale in the hobby. A bat might look just like the one that a player uses in the game. It could have the same weight, length and barrel labeling as the real gamer, but it's not a real gamer. Real gamers are ordered by the player for game use and will contain some distinguishing mark to separate it from the replica.
For instance, Adirondack will usually create only a couple of World Series bats that are made for actual game use. Adirondack will also create a few more bats for the player that look, at first glance, exactly like the real gamers, but there is a difference. On these particular bats, if you go to the knob area of the bat, the non-gamers will have a rough appearance with no identifying labeling. The real gamers usually have some type of labeling like the player's initials, model number, or year designation.
In conclusion, due to the available information today, we can now determine whether a bat was ordered by a player for game use during their career.
"Even if a bat is real, how do we know if the player used it?"
This is a legitimate question and one that is asked a great deal. How do we know if a player used the bat? In some cases we know for sure and other times we don't. Over the next few paragraphs, I hope to put collectors at ease.
As mentioned above, some bats will actually come with a letter from the player or the player's agent stating that the bat was used by the player. This is just about the finest proof that you could hope for, but most of the time collectors are not so lucky. What other factors can we look at to determine if the player actually used the bat? Let's take a look.
When it comes to vintage bats, the factors are more reassuring than for modern bats. Collectors will sometimes say something like, "I know that players will sometimes use bats from other teammates, so how do you know Duke Snider actually used this bat?" Here's a breakdown.
First, in the earlier days of the game, players were not issued anywhere near the amount of bats that players are issued today. In fact, Ken Griffey Jr. has had more bats produced for him in a year and a half than Mickey Mantle had made for his entire career! For this reason, players were very protective of their bats. Sure, players would let a teammate borrow a bat or try it out if they asked, but bats weren't loaned frequently. In talking with former batboys and players, most players would only have a handful of bats at one time, so each one was cherished.
Second, even if a player borrowed a bat, it didn't last for long. For instance, if Mickey Mantle was in a batting slump and borrowed one of Hank Bauer's bats, he wouldn't use it for long. Why, you might ask? There are two main reasons.
Mantle, as a player, knows that you don't have many bats to begin with so he would realize that Bauer would need it back. The main reason, however, is that once Mantle has decided that he likes Bauer's model bat, he can order the exact same model with his name on it. In other words, why would you keep using Bauer's bat if you could immediately order some from the factory that have your name on it? All you had to do is pick up the phone. Sure players would occasionally borrow another player's bat, but it was rare and never lasted too long.
Even if we are talking about modern bats, players might borrow a bat but they can have new bats made to their specifications and sent to them very quickly. In fact, the bat factories are turning out bats faster than ever so players are using their own bats 99% of the time. The chances that your Mark McGwire bat was used solely by Jim Edmonds is slim to none.
Another way you determine if a player used a particular bat is by checking for player modifications. Some players use massive amounts of pine tar while others don't use tar at all. Some players tape the handle like Ken Griffey Jr. or Duke Snider and others shave the handle, there are many different modifications that players will make to bats but this can help confirm that the player actually used it.
Some players, in fact most players, will change their modification tendencies throughout their career so it can be very helpful to look at photos, baseball cards and video footage to see what the player's bat looks like. For instance, Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle went through time periods where they used no pine tar and other times they would coat the handle with it. It's very important to do as much research on the player as possible before buying a bat.
The only problem occurs when unused game bats are stolen or obtained from the player and someone doctors the bat to make it appear as if it were used. This is not a common problem with vintage bats because people can't find legitimate vintage bats to begin with. So, in the extremely rare instance that they do find an unused vintage gamer, they will usually leave it in its original condition because even an unused vintage gamer can have tremendous value.
With modern bats, while the chances of finding a doctored bat are much higher than with vintage ones, collectors should not be too afraid. First, you should make sure that you are buying the bat from a reputable dealer or source. This can save you from a huge headache down the road. There are a lot of people out there who will claim, just like with autographs, that they have a connection to a team or that the player gave them the bat. I am not saying that these people are all dishonest, just protect yourself by asking as many questions as you can.
The next thing to look for on modern gamers is true game use. If the source of the bat is questionable, look for evidence of bat rack marks, seam or lace marks, heavy ball marks that cannot be faked or other distinguishing marks. For instance, if someone is offering you a Mark McGwire game-used bat that shows no evidence of pine tar and no evidence of wear on the barrel (where Mac would hit the ball), you might want to pass.
The key to remember here is that while collectors should look for key characteristics on a particular bat, they shouldn't be afraid of buying gamers. If collectors make sure that they are informed, determining if a player actually used a bat shouldn't be overly difficult.
Collecting game-used bats can be a lot of fun, but many collectors feel insecure about starting a collection. There is certainly a lack of available information about collecting game-used bats, so we chose the 5 most commonly asked questions and provided answers for each. Some questions are certainly more important than others, but the purpose is to educate those who are interested in collecting bats and don't really know enough about them to feel safe. Let's get started.
"How do you know if a bat is real"
This is one of the best aspects to collecting game-used bats. With bats, there is no doubt as to whether the bat was actually ordered by the player for game use or whether the bat is some type of show, store, or limited edition model bat. Distinct labeling separates the real gamers from all other bats, a bat's authenticity is not arguable anymore.
With the availability of company shipping records and in-depth research performed by recognized bat experts, we can now determine the authenticity of a bat without question. For years, due to a major lack of information, no one seemed to know what was a true gamer and what was not. Today, the majority of the mystery is nonexistent so the level of bat authentication has vastly improved. Dating bats is much easier than it was 10 years ago.
Besides bat labeling on the barrel, knob labeling and wood grain can also help us determine what era a bat was from. If shipping records are available, we can pinpoint when a player received a certain model bat. For instance, I once owned a Ted Williams bat that could be pinpointed to 1954. The reason you could pinpoint it is because the shipping records showed that he only ordered that particular model, length and weight in the spring of 1954 and never ordered that type of bat before or after that.
Some dealers will try to market a bat by saying this is a real game bat made to the exact specifications as the player's own game bat. This is commonly seen but you need to be wary because a real game bat is different from a replica bat created for autograph signings or resale in the hobby. A bat might look just like the one that a player uses in the game. It could have the same weight, length and barrel labeling as the real gamer, but it's not a real gamer. Real gamers are ordered by the player for game use and will contain some distinguishing mark to separate it from the replica.
For instance, Adirondack will usually create only a couple of World Series bats that are made for actual game use. Adirondack will also create a few more bats for the player that look, at first glance, exactly like the real gamers, but there is a difference. On these particular bats, if you go to the knob area of the bat, the non-gamers will have a rough appearance with no identifying labeling. The real gamers usually have some type of labeling like the player's initials, model number, or year designation.
In conclusion, due to the available information today, we can now determine whether a bat was ordered by a player for game use during their career.
"Even if a bat is real, how do we know if the player used it?"
This is a legitimate question and one that is asked a great deal. How do we know if a player used the bat? In some cases we know for sure and other times we don't. Over the next few paragraphs, I hope to put collectors at ease.
As mentioned above, some bats will actually come with a letter from the player or the player's agent stating that the bat was used by the player. This is just about the finest proof that you could hope for, but most of the time collectors are not so lucky. What other factors can we look at to determine if the player actually used the bat? Let's take a look.
When it comes to vintage bats, the factors are more reassuring than for modern bats. Collectors will sometimes say something like, "I know that players will sometimes use bats from other teammates, so how do you know Duke Snider actually used this bat?" Here's a breakdown.
First, in the earlier days of the game, players were not issued anywhere near the amount of bats that players are issued today. In fact, Ken Griffey Jr. has had more bats produced for him in a year and a half than Mickey Mantle had made for his entire career! For this reason, players were very protective of their bats. Sure, players would let a teammate borrow a bat or try it out if they asked, but bats weren't loaned frequently. In talking with former batboys and players, most players would only have a handful of bats at one time, so each one was cherished.
Second, even if a player borrowed a bat, it didn't last for long. For instance, if Mickey Mantle was in a batting slump and borrowed one of Hank Bauer's bats, he wouldn't use it for long. Why, you might ask? There are two main reasons.
Mantle, as a player, knows that you don't have many bats to begin with so he would realize that Bauer would need it back. The main reason, however, is that once Mantle has decided that he likes Bauer's model bat, he can order the exact same model with his name on it. In other words, why would you keep using Bauer's bat if you could immediately order some from the factory that have your name on it? All you had to do is pick up the phone. Sure players would occasionally borrow another player's bat, but it was rare and never lasted too long.
Even if we are talking about modern bats, players might borrow a bat but they can have new bats made to their specifications and sent to them very quickly. In fact, the bat factories are turning out bats faster than ever so players are using their own bats 99% of the time. The chances that your Mark McGwire bat was used solely by Jim Edmonds is slim to none.
Another way you determine if a player used a particular bat is by checking for player modifications. Some players use massive amounts of pine tar while others don't use tar at all. Some players tape the handle like Ken Griffey Jr. or Duke Snider and others shave the handle, there are many different modifications that players will make to bats but this can help confirm that the player actually used it.
Some players, in fact most players, will change their modification tendencies throughout their career so it can be very helpful to look at photos, baseball cards and video footage to see what the player's bat looks like. For instance, Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle went through time periods where they used no pine tar and other times they would coat the handle with it. It's very important to do as much research on the player as possible before buying a bat.
The only problem occurs when unused game bats are stolen or obtained from the player and someone doctors the bat to make it appear as if it were used. This is not a common problem with vintage bats because people can't find legitimate vintage bats to begin with. So, in the extremely rare instance that they do find an unused vintage gamer, they will usually leave it in its original condition because even an unused vintage gamer can have tremendous value.
With modern bats, while the chances of finding a doctored bat are much higher than with vintage ones, collectors should not be too afraid. First, you should make sure that you are buying the bat from a reputable dealer or source. This can save you from a huge headache down the road. There are a lot of people out there who will claim, just like with autographs, that they have a connection to a team or that the player gave them the bat. I am not saying that these people are all dishonest, just protect yourself by asking as many questions as you can.
The next thing to look for on modern gamers is true game use. If the source of the bat is questionable, look for evidence of bat rack marks, seam or lace marks, heavy ball marks that cannot be faked or other distinguishing marks. For instance, if someone is offering you a Mark McGwire game-used bat that shows no evidence of pine tar and no evidence of wear on the barrel (where Mac would hit the ball), you might want to pass.
The key to remember here is that while collectors should look for key characteristics on a particular bat, they shouldn't be afraid of buying gamers. If collectors make sure that they are informed, determining if a player actually used a bat shouldn't be overly difficult.
posted by Authentic1 at 5:13 AM
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