This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/3/2012
When he retired from baseball in 1917, Honus Wagner held the distinction of being the National League All Time Hit Leader with 3,430 career base hits. During his fabled career he appeared in the very first World Series game (1903), and was World Champion during the 1909 season. Playing his entire career in Pittsburgh, he maintained ties with his beloved team until his death in 1955 at age 81.
Although retired, his love for the game still burned deeply. After his career with the Pirate ended, Honus Wagner continued to coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Besides coaching, he played competitively for a local Pittsburgh semi pro team until well after he was 50 years old.
Honus Wagner is famous for his connection to Louisville Slugger bats. In 1905, he became the company’s first paid endorsee, having his name appear on the barrel of Louisville Slugger bats. To this date, only one signature model game used bat from his playing days have been documented. (Marshall Fogel Collection). His signature model bats are just not available.
For this lot, MEARS Auctions is offering a 1921-29 Honus Wagner game used barnstorming / coaches
bat. Honus Wagner game used bats are rare, and with his designation as being the very first H&B
endorsee, there continues to be a high demand among collectors.
The details are as follows:
Label Period 1921-29: Per the MEARS bat label index, this center brand was produced by Louisville
Slugger during the 1921-29 era.
Signature Model: “J Hans Wagner”, as per his contact signature, is factory applied to the barrel end.
Model Number W107: Pre model number (not stamped on barrel), but the bat is consistent with the
W107 model, which is factory documented as being used by Wagner. Examples include:
MEARS #351496
MEARS #252177
MEARS #258141
The above examples confirm the W107 model number was used by Wagner.
Length 37”: At 37”, this is the largest Wagner bat we have examined to date. Examination of H&B
factory records reveal that HOFer’s Hank Aaron and Ted Williams also ordered extra long bats at various points of their careers. The length may constitute an instructional bat, practice bat, or a longer bat used for hitting against situational pitching. Wagner was documented as using special bats during the dead ball era to hit spit ball pitchers, and this practice may have carried over into his barnstorming career.
Weight 44 ounces: During his playing career, Honus Wagner ordered bat weighing 44 ounces (1911),
and 45 ounces (1912). Also recorded are bats weighing 50 ounces, but the lengths are not listed. It is reasonable to assume that the 50+ ounce bats may have been ordered in a longer length, to support the heavier weight request, and supports the 37” in length of this bat.
Wood: Manufactured from high grade professional ash, this bat is consistent with the highest quality of gamers we have examined.
Game Use: Bat is classified as having heavy game use. Starting the examination at the knob and working towards the barrel end, the bat has heavy use evenly distributed throughout. This is manifested by even compression of the wood’s grain. In the areas directly above and below the facsimile barrel stampings are concentrated areas of ball marks. Seam marks are deeply embedded throughout these areas.
Handle Tape: In the area approximately 2 ½” above the knob, there is an 8 ½” area of black handle tape. The tape is consistent with the style used during the 1920s. It is also applied in a manner consistent with other documented Honus Wagner game used bats. The accompanying photo shows a similar taped bat. (note: PSA/DNA bat authenticator provided the image of the tape on two documented game used Wagner bats). In my opinion, this handle tape was personally applied by Honus Wagner as it is strikingly similar to the two other documented samples.
Final Grade MEARS A8: 5 points were assigned for bat being consistent with Wagner model, weight, and
accepted length for stage of his career, 3 points for optimal game use.
LOA Troy Kinunen / MEARS