This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/2/2017
Lot description per Troy R. Kinunen/MEARS:
History of Wright & Ditson and its companies’ connection to Major League Baseball: According to the website, www.oldcourse.com, “It was also about this time (1896) that the A.G. Spalding & Brothers Company bought a significant and silent partnership in Wright & Ditson. Many early Spalding clubs are identical in form to Wright & Ditson clubs since both lines were produced in the Spalding factory. But the two companies maintained separate identities, trademarks and brand names for at least another decade.” This reference was in regards to the marketing of golf clubs, but the fact is important as Spalding was a dominant force in the Sporting Goods world and was a documented supplier of bats, jerseys, and gloves to Major League Baseball. It can be summarized that the same manufacturing and marketing process used in the making of golf clubs was applied to baseball bats, thus increasing the likelihood of Wright & Ditson professional model bats being supplied to Major League ballclubs.
Further proof is taken directly from the official 1913 Wright & Ditson catalog is the following quote: "we feel that our line of bats cannot be improved upon. The models are those actually used by the best hitters in the game- the result of years of experience in supplying the wants of both amateur and professional players. The wood used in all the high grade bats is the finest selected second growth white ash, thoroughly seasoned in the open."
To further illustrate the connection of between Wright & Ditson and specifically the Boston Red Sox, Tris Speaker is pictured on the following page with a caption that reads, "Tris Speaker, The Hard Hitting Fielder of the Boston Red Sox" and the following quote, "Red Sox bats are used by many of the famous hitters who want a bat that is heavy at the end, but do not require one with a long hitting surface."
Era: Exact dating of this bat is not known, but Wright & Ditson was a supplier of sporting good equipment during the entire career of Napolean Lajoie, 1905-16.
Centerbrand Label Design: WRIGHT & DITSON, BOSTON. MAKERS, No. 5. “LAJOIE” is factory stamped in ½” x 2 ½” block lettering on the reverse barrel.
Length (34”): Bat measures 34” and is within an acceptable length range for professional model bats used in the major leagues during the era.
H&B factory record are quite incomplete for this era when used for a measurement of comparison. The one available length is listed on Lajoie personal file card and appears as, “His Old (Napolean) Lajoie, 35.5”, 40 oz.”. This bat is not consistent with competitors known record, but the date of the card is also unknown.
Weight (38.5 ounces): H&B provides us with two forms of documents pertaining to Lajoie bat weights. His file card lists his weight at 40 ounces. A 1911 entry of no specified model list his bat at 42 ounces. MEARS has examined two H&B professional models and recorded their weights at:
MEARS #310009 1912 H&B Side Written Example: 38.9 ounces
MEARS #306623 1916-18 H&B, 35.2 ounces.
This bat is consistent with respects to weight to two other professional model H&B Lajoie bats examined by MEARS.
Photo Reference: Accompanying is a circa 1905-08 circa image of Napolean Lajoie while playing for the Cleveland Naps. Although not an exact photomatch, the accompanying image illustrates several visible traits of the bat Nap is holding in the photo to the examined bat. No manufacture label is visible, but you can see the knob, handle and barrel shape, and barrel end is similar to this offered bat. Also note the presence of handle tape on this bat, which is also consistent with the available photo with respect to the color of tape. placement of the tape, and the application of the tape.
Final Conclusion: This bat dates to the early period of the growth of professional baseball team endorsed products. With the infancy of the practice, there was not a clear line drawn between professional and retail model offerings. In many cases they were one in the same. Although this bat is not supported by factory records, the length & weight is consistent with the range of professional model examples examined by MEARS, Wright & Ditson was a known supplier of bats to the Major League during the era, and the hand turned knob is closely associated with the practice of professional model bats. Store Model Wright & Ditson bats are found with the company logo stamped on the barrel, this bat is sans any knob stamping. Final Grade: Authentic.
Additional References
1905-08 Napolean Lajoie Cleveland Indians Photo reference
303681 Circa 1890-1910 Nap Lajoie Wright & Ditson Professional Model Bat - Hand Turned (33.75”, 37.6 ounces)
303202 Circa 1905 Nap Lajoie Wright & Ditson Professional Model Bat - Side Written (33.5”, 40.5 ounces)
300530 Circa 1905 Nap Lajoie Wright & Ditson Professional Model Bat (33 5/8”, 45.8 ounces)
PSA/DNA hologram 1B12310 affixed to knob with a note reading "Not Used by Lajoie" included in PSA/DNA's online database. Final Grade: MEARS Authentic.
(04F0075)
LOA Troy Kinunen / MEARS