This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/2/2016
Exceptional bats are becoming increasingly rare and highly sought after. MEARS Auctions is proud to present a remarkable game used Johnny Bench bat used throughout his two MVP seasons.
1970 marked the birth of the big red machine. Sparky Anderson was hired as the manager and the team played its last game at Crosley Field on June 30th, 1970 before moving into the brand new Riverfront Stadium. The Reds dominated the season and won the NL West and the pennant by beating the Pirates in three games. Facing the Orioles in the 1970 World Series, the pitching staff was out of gas and Brooks Robinson and the Orioles beat the Reds in 5 games.
After a lackluster 1971 season, the Reds won the NL west and beat the Pirates in a five game series to advance to the World Series to face the Oakland A’s. The Big Red machine ended up losing in seven games to the A’s, but the squad of Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Pete Rose, Lee May, and Bobby Tolan would become the building blocks for the 1975 and 1976 World Championship teams.
Statistically, 1970-1972 was the greatest three year run of Johnny Bench’s career. During this stretch, Bench was a 3x All Star, 3x Gold Glove Winner, and two time MVP, 1970 & 1972. With this very bat, Bench hit many of his 112 homeruns, 45, 27, & 40 respectively, with 45 being his career high. He also tallied 148, 81, and 125 RBI’s with 148 also being a career high. With a player’s bat representing his offensive prowess, this bat epitomizes the potency of Bench’s offensive surge.
The Birth of the B278 Model
Prior to the 1970 season, Bench used the R161 model bat. According to Johnny Bench’s personal H&B bat records, on April 27th, 1970 the records note:
Made New Model
4-27-70 B278 (WG FB)
35 ½”, 32 ½ ounce
(12 ash bats)
Therefore, this model bat was first ordered by Bench during the 1970 season, and again, was an important link to the birth of the Big Red Machine. The “B” in B278 stood for Bench, and would be his favorite model for the next 14 seasons. The B278 model measuring 35.5” was almost exclusively used by Bench during the 1970 season, and the only model at the 35.5” length used in 1971 and 1972. Bench’s own H&B factory records document that this exact model was favored and used during this historic stretch of Bench’s career.
Measuring 35 ½” and currently weighing 33 ounces, this bat is consistent with numerous orders during the 1970-1972 era. Being ordered regularly during the 1970-1972 timespan, the bat cannot be pinpointed to a specific order, but should be noted that it could have been used for any extended period.
With respect to game use, this bat is a spectacular example. Pounded with heavy game use, examination of the knob to barrel end reveals phenomenal wear and tear, heavy pine tar, red bat rack marks, over 50 distinct ball, seam, and stitch marks scattered on all sides of the barrel. Due to repeated contact of bat to ball, the third layer on the reverse barrel has loosened, creating the phenomena of deadwood, a very desirable game use trait.
The best way to connect a bat to specific player is the presence and observation of personal player traits. These are the attributes which are closely associated with a player. For this bat, in the area of the handle, there is an approximate 14” area of heavy pine tar. Numerous photos of Bench from the era document the practice.
Finally, the most unique and desirable personal player trait is the stenciled “5” painted in black paint on the knob. This is the first time seeing this feature, but its deliberate application supports this as being one of Bench’s most desired bats.
This bat was assigned the coveted MEARS A9 grade. 5 base points were assigned due to the bat matching Bench’s personal H&B factory records, 3 points were assigned for heavy, optimal game use. Two points were assigned for personal player traits in the form of a documented pine tar pattern and the unique vintage application of the 5 on knob. A cracked in the handle which has been repaired was the reason for the sole one point deduction.
(95W0253)
(MEARS Auction LOA; JSA Auction Letter)