This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/4/2012
Hall of Fame outfielder Paul "Big Poison" Waner spent the majority of his tremendous 20-season career in Pittsburgh. He eventually branched out to Brooklyn, Boston and New York, but not before laying claim to an MVP award and three All-Star nods. This professional model game used bat is attributed to ol' Big Poison, used by the slugger at some point between 1926 and 1941.
Manufacturer (Kren's Special): Per written articles, photographic evidence, and H&B player records, Kren's has been verified as supplying profession model bats to the major leaguers. An extensive article has been published at MEARS Online titled, "Kren Bats" by Dave Grob. A direct link between Paul Waner and Kren's bats are found in his H&B personal factory records. In one entry, it reads:
O'Doul, Lefty (Kren Special). This is interpreted as a Lefty O'Doul model being converted from a Kren's to a Louisville Slugger. The O'Doul model was also a bat with a very small knob.
Dating 1926-41: MEARS has established the approximate dating of the center brand based on existing examples of Kren's bats in the hobby and written/photographic evidence.
The first version of the Kren's label appeared as:
Kren's Special
Syracuse, NY
In the Dave Grob article, he identified New York Giants player Irish Meuse holding a Kren's Special two line of text bat. Based on the style of his uniform, Grob dated the bat and photo to circa 1922-23.
This bat would be considered the second version of the Kren's Special center brand. This version is identified by its diamond shaped design, with "Joseph G. Kren" (upper) "Syracuse, New York" (lower) formed in the diamond. Spanning across the label is "KREN'S SPECIAL" (block lettering). "HAND TURNED" is split and found above and below the company identifier.
Furthermore in the Grob article, he identified a circa 1926 Billy Southworth photo which placed a Kren's Diamond center brand in his hands. This helped us identify 1926 as a transition from the two lines (first version) of the center brand to the second version diamond design.
With Paul Waner's career starting in 1926, it was decided to date the starting of this bat's dating to 1926. The article further illustrated Boston Braves player Johnny Cooney holding several diamond center brand Kren's Special bats, circa 1940-42.
The end dating of 1941 was chosen for Paul Waner as it was stated in his H&B shipping records that he last ordered 34" bats during 1941 and finished his career using 35" bats. He very well may have used this bat after the 1941 date.
Length 35": Detailed Kren's shipping records of player bat orders are unknown. But, by examination of H&B factory records, MEARS can compare ordering patterns of H&B counterparts and make comparisons to Kren Specials. Paul Waner's H&B personal bat records reveal that during 1927-1941, the approximate dating range of this examined bat, Paul Waner ordered bats at the 35" length.
Weight 36 ounces: During the span of 1926-41, a review of the H&B personal records for Paul Waner indicate he ordered bats weighing 32-40 ounces. This bat at its current 36 ounce weight falls within the accepted tolerance of those factory records. There are specific orders for 36/27 ounce bat throughout Waner’s bat records for the years of 1926-36.
Photographic evidence did reveal Lloyd Waner to use a bat with a small knob on some occasions. Based on the information provided by H&B regarding Lloyd Waner's bat ordering patterns, I have determined this bat is more consistent with Paul Waner rather than Lloyd.
H&B factory records and photographic evidence did reveal Paul Waner to order bats with knobs on occasion and is mentioned for the sake of accuracy. The small knob orders were verified in Paul Waner's shipping records as the Woody English model with no knob, the Chick Hafey H4, and Rogers Hornsby H117.
Game Use (Heavy): Bat is determined to exhibit heavy game use. Medium ball marks are found scattered on all areas of the barrel. Cleat marks are scattered throughout numerous surfaces. The handle was once taped with 4 ringlets of tape. The tape is now gone, but the ghost pattern remains.
Final Grade MEARS A7.5: Base grade of 5 points were awarded for being consistent with model, length, and weight for what Paul Wagner would have ordered, 3 points for heavy game use, minus ½ for chipped knob.
Summary: Based on available documentation of the Kern's company supplying major league baseball players with bats, consistency of H&B ordering records to this examined bat, and an actual reference of Paul Waner mentioning a Kren Special bat, MEARS is confident to attribute this as a Paul Waner Kren's Professional Model bat.
LOA Troy Kinunen / MEARS