Auction Item Details
Lot 188
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Lot Number: 188
Description: Exceedingly rare c.1914 Frank Baker autographed professional model baseball bat. Hand turned blank barrel bat measuring 34" long, and weighing 40.8oz, compares favorably with regard to construction and dimensions, with a factory side written example that was returned to Louisville Slugger, by Baker, in 1911. Outstanding usage wear is evident throughout with ball marks visible on all sides of the hitting surface which has been scored in a circular pattern. The bat has been signed, "To Ed. R. Maier from Frank Baker, Philadelphia Athletics 1914" in fountain pen rating 7/8 out of 10. Although not frequently occurring, it was not at all unheard of for a player to use a blank barrel bat when testing a new model or trying out one which had been modified to meet their requests. The appearance of his signature on the offered example, combined with provenance tracing it to the famed Maier Collection, serve to substantiate this bat as not only one of maybe half a dozen known Baker game bats, but also one of perhaps two which can be placed directly into his hands. "Home Run" Baker was one of the great batsman of the early 20th Century helping to lead Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics to 3 World Series Championships between 1910 and 1913. In 1914, the year in which he signed this bat, he posted an American League leading (9) home runs and finished the season with the 5th highest batting average. He would join the Yankees shortly thereafter and was a member of their 1921 and 1922 American League Pennant winning teams. He is regarded as one of the best power hitters of the deadball era. Includes full LOA from JSA and LOAs from PSA/DNA ("Authentic") and Hunt Auctions: EXEstimated Price Range: ($20,000-$40,000)
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