Arguably the greatest franchise in baseball history, MEARS is proud to offer one of the earliest and most historic Yankees items ever brought to public auction. Dated from the 1903-1909 era, this early J.F. Hillerich & Son bat was manufactured and used by Clark Griffith during his years with the New York Highlanders. Nicknamed the “old fox”, Griffith was the first player to use the spitball, and has the distinction of being the first ever New York Yankees team captain. He also holds the distinction as the team’s first manager and the earliest Yankee player inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame.
Moving from Baltimore, 1903 found the Highlanders playing at Hilltop Park. The team was known as the Highlanders due to its elevated location found between 165th and 168th streets in northern Manhattan.
The team continued to be referred to as the Highlanders for most of the 1903 season, and not until the following year did New York Press sports editor Jim Price coin the unofficial shortened nickname “Yankees” as a way to save space in the sports section headlines.
The bat itself was one of the first ever produced by the JF Hillerich & Son Company and at one time originated directly from the companies archives as evidenced by the factory applied side writing. It is also the first Louisville Slugger bat directly linked to a New York Yankee. Either by coincidence or fate, two fledgling sporting franchises merged during 1903 and became industry giants within the sport.
The following information relates directly to the bat itself:
Dating: 1903-1909 circa. This is the earliest version of the H&B centerbrand and this style of bat would have been available for Clark Griffith's use during this entire time span, which included his time with the 1903 Inaugural season of the New York Highlanders (Yankees). Per review of the MEARS bat trade index (population report), this is the earliest known H&B bat bearing a player’s name attributed to a Major League baseball Hall of Famer and the earliest known bat attributed to a member of the New York Yankees.
Additionally, according to the work by Vince Malta, “A complete reference guide Louisville Slugger Professional Player bats”, and this bat is quite consistent with respects to the centerbrand dated from early 1900s’ to 1905. See C-1B, page 11. This reference is important as it supports the bat being issued during the timespan of 1903-05, which corresponds with the inaugural 1903 Highlanders season.
To further support the 1903-09 dating, a review of Griffith’s playing career helps provide both inclusionary and exclusionary analysis as to what the bat may or may not be. Clark Griffith was a member of the American League Chicago White Sox from 1897-1902, but no examples of JF Hillerich & Son bats bearing players names are known from this timespan, so these years can be eliminated as possible times of use (exclusionary). This can also be supported by MEARS #301466, 1899-1902 Ed Delahanty Louisville Slugger Professional Model Bat from the Marshall Fogel collection. This bat contained the identical centerbrand as the Clark Griffith, but was found without any player identification. Obtained directly from a traveling display from the Louisville Slugger museum, this Delahanty bat was marked with the original H&B paper inventory tag and served as the documentation of player use. No player name appeared on the Delahanty model, consistent with the pre-1903 practice of bat player identification. The addition of a player name on the barrel and knob, in this case “Griffith”, is consistent with the more modern practice of player bat identification which would have started after the 1902 era, a fact supported by the Fogel Delahanty.
Starting in 1903 and playing to 1907, Clark Griffith was a staff pitcher for the New York Highlanders. During this stretch of time, Griffith pitched in 87 games. During the same 5-year stretch with the Highlanders, Griffith also had 163 at bats. The majority of Griffith’s time in the major league’s during the label period of this bat, 1903-1907, was with the New York Highlanders. For the purpose of full disclosure, it must be noted that Clark Griffith did appear in one game with the Cincinnati Reds during the 1909 season, but the heavy amount of use is not consistent with only one game played.
The side written date of 7-8-11 appears on the bat, meaning it was recorded at the H&B factory on July 8th, 1911, for additional bats to be manufactured for Clark Griffith. During 1911, Griffith was the manager of the Reds, and he continued to be the player manager of the Washington Senators from 1912-1914, thus the reason/need for additional bats to be made for his use- as evidenced by the fact he returned it to the factory where it was side written and archived. With the 1911 date, the bat could only have been used before the 1911 season, which is consistent with his playing career of 1903-1907 & 1909.
With final respects to the dating of this bat, due to the heavy amount of game use which is consistent with several seasons of game use, the similarities of the centerbrand and the addition of the name “Griffith” stamped on the bat, his limited amount of time played with a non-Yankee team (one game with the Reds in 1909), this bat is most consistent with what Clark Griffith would have used during the 1903-1907 seasons while a member of the New York Highlanders.
Length & Weight: Bat measures 34.5" and weighs 36.75 ounces, well within the acceptable range of major league player specifications.
Side writing: On the area below the barrel stampings are the remains of early H&B factory side writing. Part of the inscription is unreadable, but the date of 7-8-11 is still very visible. Meaning this bat was returned by Griffith for future use on this date. The actual date this bat was first used is unknown, but based on the degree of use; this bat was most likely favored by Griffith and used over the course of many seasons.
This bat has been triple stamped with Griffith, on the knob, back of the barrel, and end of the barrel, which is especially rare during the early years of the Hillerich and Bradsby company as the majority of bats were produced with blank barrels. This is the only known example from this period with the name stamped into the bat. “GRIFFITH” appears in ¼” block lettering, on the knob, barrel, and barrel end. The stamping was applied at the factory.
Examination reveals heavy game use. The 8" vintage handle crack was expertly repaired with 20 period nails. Heavy deadwood is present on both the front and back of the barrel. The front deadwood also has been repaired with 34 period nails. The reverse barrel, where “GRIFFITH” is stamped, also shows 20 period nails have been applied. The nails were applied while the bat was being used by Griffith, in an attempt to extend the life of the bat. This would support the fact the bat was most likely used for the course of several seasons. With no other examples known, this may have been the only bat used by Griffith during his career, and it is the only example examined by our firm. Finally, the final two layers of wood on each outer edge of the knob have been chipped in a uniform manner.
Final Grade: MEARS A9.5. A base grade of 5 points was awarded for the bat being consistent with player specifications for the era, 3 points were assigned for heavy game use, 2 points for the vault marks and side writing, and minus one-half was awarded for the chipping to the knob and one small piece of missing deadwood on the barrel. Professional authentication & grading Letter of Opinion provided by MEARS/Troy R. Kinunen
List of Important Facts
First team captain
First Bat documented as being used by a New York Yankee (Highlanders)
First Manager of the Yankees franchise
First Yankee bat found with a player’s name on barrel
First manager to register a victory for the Highlanders
Member of the baseball Hall of Fame