This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/3/2012
Far into his Hall of Fame caliber career, 1932 found Rogers Hornsby only playing in 19 games for the Chicago Cubs. He batted .224 with one homerun, his worse season ever. Although he continued to play himself on occasion, his regular playing days had ended because of age and injuries, and he concentrated on managing. The Cubs had winning records under Hornsby in 1931 and 1932, but he was released in August 1932.
It came out that Hornsby owed money to several of his teammates; he had been borrowing from them to finance his gambling habit. Newspapers raised allegations that Hornsby had led a horse-race betting pool among Cubs players, but he denied it, and Landis refused to investigate the charges. Privately, Landis said, according to Alexander's book: "That fellow will never learn. His betting has got him in one scrape after another, cost him a fortune and several jobs, and still he hasn't enough sense to stop it." This would mark is last season with the Cubs and he was traded to the Cardinals for the 1933 campaign.
The bat contains the 1932 only Powerized and Bone Rubbed markings, a favorite with collectors. Pre model number, a facsimile contract Rogers Hornsby signature is factory stamped on the barrel end. Currently weighing 35 ounces and measuring 34 inches, this bat is consistent with the following H&B personal record for Hornsby:
7-7-32 “his flared, 12 ash, 36/37 ounces”. There is no length listed, as the term “A” for ash is listed where the length is traditionally recorded.
This was Hornsby final regular season bat order for 1932, and he was released in August, only a few weeks later. As an aging super star, the lack of recorded length causes no reason for pause for this bat authenticator, but I do want to record the fact that the lengths recorded for Hornsby during 1932 were listed in his personal records at 35”. The length is consistent with the range ordered by Hornsby during 1932, 36-39 ounces. Currently weighing 35 ounces, (with an acceptable weight loss range of 1-4 ounces), this bat would have fallen within Hornsby’s documented weight ordering range as verified per his H&B factory records.
Bat shows heavy game use, ball marks, stitch marks, bat rack marks, and a 4” handle crack.
Final Grade (MEARS A6.5). Base grade of 5 points, 3 points for heavy use, minus ½ for knob chip, minus ½ divots to barrel, minus ½ for handle crack.
LOA Troy Kinunen / MEARS