Opinions - Early Baseball Bat?

[vintagesportscollector]

Picked up this today and would like to see if folks think it is early baseball. Maybe late 19th century? It is 27'' long, so if baseball more likely a youth size. Paid very little, $22, so no sweat either way, but I would like to think it is early baseball. Is has a nice look, which is why I took a shot at it.

Thanks for any opinions.

282056

282057

282058

282059

282060

282061

282062

[MGHPro]

I would think 1905-1910 . I figured it was cut down but looks to be made that way .
Very nice

[ruth-gehrig]

Either way I like it for 22 bucks

[Michael B]

It looks like it could be a riot club without a tether. The plug on the end could be where it was drilled out to pour in lead. Most of them would have a hole drilled through it so that a leather strip could be strung for wrapping around the wrist. Some had the tether wrapped around the handle.

[murphusa]

A child's bat for the time period would be at the most 1 3/4" in diameter at the sweet spot. Any more IMO would make it a club

[Huysmans]

Hey Joe, I definitely think it could be a 19th century youth bat. To disclaim it due to either its length or thickness would be incorrect, as many generic examples exist in an endless combination of length to handle to thickness ratios. Cool find...

[vintagesportscollector]

Thanks for the feedback all. Regarding it possibly being a riot/billy club - it's possible. However, the length, weight, and handle design seem less than ideal for typical clubs I have seen. I haven't seen a club designed like this, but I haven't necessarily searched extensively, so who knows - but it does seem to be more aligned with a baseball bat.

[JollyElm]

I forget the proper term for it, but are there any ball marks visible, suggesting it struck baseballs?

[vintagesportscollector]

I forget the proper term for it, but are there any ball marks visible, suggesting it struck baseballs?

Hi Darren, good question. The marks and wear and tear are very similar to that of other bats I have from the period, but I don’t think the marks are definitive of use, either way. Bats from the period, especially ones that were recreational, and not professional/organized ball, received a lot of use and abuse and were stored away casually. I don’t think you can discern ball marks from a bat from that period quite the way you can when authenticating a more recent game used bat.

Here is an interesting blog documenting the history of clubs, with pictures of 100+ examples. I don’t see any example that is similar to this item I have picked up. Either way, it’s a rather interesting site about the use of ‘clubs’.

http://baltimorecitypolicedept.org/citypolice/city-police-insight/espantoons.html