This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/29/2012
Offered for auction is one of the finest known examples of a 1908-1910 era Ty Cobb professional model game used decal bat. The facts are indisputable that professional model decal bats were used by Cobb and Wagner in the 1908 era. Exceptionally rare, due to the current value, this bat may be one of the best values currently available in today’s market.
According to the book, “Ty Cobb – His Tumultuous Life and Times” by Richard Bak, …
On October 13, 1908, Cobb became just the fourth major leaguer to have his decal pasted to the barrel of a Louisville Slugger. The terms of his contract, however, were different from those of his predecessors. Instead of accepting the standard $75 endorsement fee (“a chunk of real money,” Cobb said), he exchanged the use of his name for a bin of specially constructed bats. This passage supports the fact players of the era used decal bats in major league games, especially those of the caliber of Cobb.
Specifically, Ty wanted his bats made of prime ash harvested from Kentucky and Tennessee forests, considering it a stronger wood than the popular hickory and hackberry. Examination of the wood confirms this bat was selected from the finest Kentucky ash available.
He also wanted the wood to have a straight and fine grain, not a heavy grain. This bat is exact to Cobb’s very own written specifications. From handle to barrel end, the grain is straight and perfectly spaced. A finer piece of wood does not exist.
“And try to find wood with small whirly knots in it,” Cobb instructed. As he explained, this was “indicative of trees that have had a long, slow growth, producing the most resilient and stoutest timber.” On the reverse sweet spot, smack dab in the center is a perfectly formed “whirly knot”, created by God and demanded by the Georgia Peach.
On his regular trips to the factory Ty would whack each of his finished bats against the ground. “If it rang tenor,” he said, “I’d put that one aside to keep. If I got a dull ‘thump,’ that one I discarded.”
Some have argued that in the case of a naturally gifted hitter like Cobb, the effect of a custom-made bat was more psychological than anything else. But in 1909, the first season Ty used his own autograph-model Louisville Slugger, he led all big leaguers in base hits, batting average, total bases, and slugging percentage. He also won the American League’s triple crown.
This is the very bat documented by Cobb author Richard Bak.
Examination of all the physical traits of the bat is found to be consistent with what Cobb would have used during the 1908-1910 era.
Dating: Made by J.F. Hillerich & Son Co., Louisville Slugger, Louisville, KY, was the first version of the centerbrand manufactured by Louisville Slugger and was used from 1897-1910. With Ty Cobb signing his endorsement contract with H&B on October 13, 1908, this creates the first possible starting date at 1908.
Model C28: Although not marked, the knob, taper of the handle and barrel are consistent with Cobb’s C28 model.
Length 33 ½”: At the peak of the deadball era, a 33 ½” bat was quite consistent with what ball players were ordering for major league play. Hall of Fame contemporaries Honus Wagner, Joe Jackson, and Tris Speaker used 33” bats during the era. 1920s H&B records for Ty Cobb do list him as using 34 1/2" bats, but no records exist for what Cobb's early preference was. With 33" being an accepted norm for the era, MEARS accepts this 33 1/2" bat as one length possibly requested by Cobb.
Weight 38 ounces: Currently weighing 38 ounces, the weight is consistent with factory documented Ty Cobb bats.
Game Use: The use can best be described as heavy and very consistent to comparisons to previously examined high grade Ty Cobb game used bats. Most noticeably, there is a 5” flattened hitting surface above the professional model decal. The area is compressed from repeated contact of bat to ball, consistent with the keen batting skills of Ty Cobb. It has been written that Cobb repeatedly made contact in a very small area on his bat’s surface. This bat exhibits that very unique Cobb game use trait. Additionally, 5 deep cleat marks are scattered around the hitting surface of the bat. Again, cleat marks are consistently found on high grade examples of Ty Cobb bats.
Decals in the major leagues: Accompanying this lot description is an image discovered by REA Auctions that clearly shows Ty Cobb using a decal bat during the course of a game. Additional examples of decal bats in the major leagues have been documented by the research staff of MEARS.
Grade MEARS A7.5: Base grade of 5 points assigned for bat being consistent with model, weight, accepted length range for the era, and specific wood grain, 3 points assigned for optimal, heavy game use, and minus ½ point for the handle crack. Although not factored into the final grade, the cleat marks are very desirable and often found on high grade examples of Cobb bats.
Conclusion: Based on the written account by Cobb historian Richard Bak, examination of the bats physical traits, examination of the game use, and a comparison of the straight grain with a whirly knot to the written voice of Ty Cobb, MEARS is quite confident to deem this bat as a 1908-1910 Ty Cobb JF Hillerich & Son Co. game used bat. (R0647)
LOA Troy R. Kinunen / MEARS