What can be said about this find, a signature model game used Joe Guyon bat from his days in the minor leagues where he played from 1922-36. This bat dates to his stints with the Atlanta Crackers 1922-23, Little Rock 1924, Louisville 1925-28, Anderson 1931, Ashville 1932 and Fieldale in 1936. Guyon had hit over .340 three consecutive years for the Louisville Colonels in the American Association. His playing career as an outfielder extended from 1920 through 1936 with a break during his college coaching.
But it was Hall of Fame football career for which he will always be remembered by most sports historians. (Hall of Fame 1966) Like his more famous Carlisle alumni, Jim Thorpe, Joe was an American Indian. He was a member of the Chippewa tribe. He attended Carlisle from 1912-13 with Pop Warner as his coach where as he made All American in 1913. He moved on to Georgia Tech for the 1917-18 school term playing for the famous John Heisman. In 1919, he signed to play professional football in Canton for the Bulldogs and played for them in 1920 after the NFL was formed. He played eight seasons in the NFL retiring after the 1927 season concluding his Hall of Fame career. During those eight seasons, he played for eight different teams.
* Canton Bulldogs (1919-1920)
* Washington Senators (1921)
* Union Quakers of Philadelphia (1921)
* Cleveland Indians (1921)
* Oorang Indians (1922-1923)
* Rock Island Independents (1924)
* Kansas City Cowboys (1925)
* New York Giants (1927)
There has been at least one Jim Thorpe bat to hit the market and it sold for over 25K years ago so it will be interesting to see what it's brother bat will do. This is definitely one rare and historically significant bat.
Player:Joe Guyon
Block/Script Name:Script
Label Period:1921-30
Year/s Used: 1922-30
Teams Played During Era of Bat: Already listed above.
Other Teams Played:Listed.
Majors:
Minors:
Manufacture: H&B
Model Number: Pre dates model numbers
Length:35 1/4"
Weight: 41.4 oz.
Side Writing: Yes but no longer readable.
Vault Marks:No
Shipping Label:No
Game Use:Heavy
Ball Marks: Most heavy use concentrated on top and back of barrel.
Swelling: Same
Grain Separation: Light on barrel.
Cleat Marks:A few.
Rack Marks:No
Nails/Screws:No
Pine Tar:No
Handle Tape:No
Handle Crack:Yes, 3"
Barrel Crack: No
Dents/Gouges:No
Wood: Ash
Autographed:No
Uniform Number:Pre number
Knob Markings: No
Barrel End Markings:No
Provenance:Louisville Vaults
Factory Records: pre dates order records of 1930.
Player Traits: Unknown
Grade: MEARS A7 with 5 base points, 3 use points, no points for SW and minus combined 1 for small crack and grain separation.
MEARS Bat Index Report: None ever examined.
Comments:One of the most incredibly rare bats we have ever examined.
Inventory Number: 00348
Collection of MEARS staff