This is a very early historic bat used by Buck Herzog and returned to the Louisville factory as evidenced by the side writing. It was returned in March of 1921 from the Louisville Baseball Club where he played the 1921 season but since it was before the season started, it had to have been used by him while he was playing with the Chicago Cubs in 1919-20 and maybe even earlier. Buck came up in 1908-09 with the New York Giants. He then played for the 1910-11 Boston Doves and Rustlers, the Giants again in 1911-13, with the Reds from 1914-16, back to the Giants again in 1916-17 and with the Braves in 1918-19. He played on four of John McGraw's New York Giants World Series teams in 1911, 1912, 1913 and 1917. He epitomized the great dead ball era players of the time.
This bat has the 1917-22 era center brand and blank barrel as did most of these early bats. The side writing reveals that Buck sent this bat back to the factory when he got to Louisville in 1921.
Block/Script Name: blank barrel
Label Period: 1917-22
Year/s Used: 1919-21
Teams Played During Era of Bat: Cubs
Other Teams Played: Giants, Reds, Boston
Majors:
Minors: Louisville
Mfg: H&B
Model Number: pre
Length: 34
Weight: 34.4
Side Writing: yes, Herzog 3-18-21
Vault Marks: no
Game Use: heavy
Ball Marks: Pounded on all three sides
Swelling: top and bottom
Grain Separation: no
Cleat Marks: yes
Rack Marks: no
Nails/Screws: no
Cracked: yes 10" H style
Pine Tar: no
Handle Tape: no
Handle Crack: yes
Barrel Crack: no
Dents/Gouges: no
Autographed: no
Uniform Number: no
Knob Markings: no
Barrel Markings: no
Finish: ash
Provenance: Louisville Slugger vaults
Factory Records: Side written
Player Traits:
Grade: A9 with 5 base points, 3 use points, 2 points for side writing and minus 1 for crack
MEARS Pop. Report: Only H&B model examined by MEARS.
Comments: 00829