Question about game used bats
 

Purchased my first gamer a few months back and thinking of picking up some more. Are game used bats with significant cracks considered collectible or should I pass on them?

Depends really on what you consider a significant crack. I think generally unless a handle has shattered or there are missing pieces a crack isn't really that big of a deal.

here are collectors though that won't buy a cracked bat at all. I've personally never understood that as there are certain players that were known to use bats until they cracked.

I like cracks, ball marks, cleat marks, heavy pinetar, all show a bat was used. I try to avoid bats in pieces, too hard to display.

I agree with the first two responders. Sometimes a cracked bat is all you can find/afford for a particular player. On occasion it is the only way that a game bat will have reached the secondary market. Bats is pieces have collecting interest to some, especially if the bat breaking can be documented (Piazza bat thrown by Clemens for example) but generally is worth leas that a whole bat etc.

We just sold a group of them and yes heavy wear, cracks, marks, missing tape are all okay when it comes to game used bats. Store models maybe not so much - it all depends on the buyer as well - good luck

Jimmy

Sometimes cracked bats can be fun. Here's a picture of Mike Zunino cracking a bat that I ended up with. The bat now has the bottom part overlaying the top a little, so it actually looks like a tamer version of this pic. I was thinking of having the top piece pushed back in place, but I think it will display cooler with a large copy of this picture behind it.

http://media.thenewstribune.com/smed...TL.AuSt.5.jpeg

That's really cool, having a pic of the bat getting cracked.


About half of mine are cracked - Not that I have many, I think only 4. All but one were really great "deals" and the one that wasn't is in the nicest condition of any of them. Of course, one has enough weathering that it may as well be cracked, and one was cracked about 90 years after any game use. The crack led to me getting it.

My brother called me one day asking if I had a bat I'd trade to someone he knew. I figured I might but why? They were playing softball and cracked the bat they were using. And he said it looked really old. So I swapped a usable wood bat for it, and he gave me a few other old bats. Nothing interesting except the cracked one. Bon-Topper bat company Hartford, Ct. Fred Parent signature model. A few years later I asked a bat guy about it at a show and he said it was probably a game bat. Pretty good swap.

Steve B

Thanks for the thoughts everyone. I think cracked will be just fine with me! :)

Along this line, what about repair? I have a pretty heavily used bat that has what I belive is called a soft spot - the grain is coming loose near the player name. It looks fine, but I fear the wood coming apart over time, and potentially losing the name.

Have any of you tried doing a minor repair, or had a pro do one?

The grain separation shouldn't get any worst then what it is now. So I wouldn't mess around with it.

I've repaired grain separation before. How bad is it? If it is pretty minor I wouldn't worry too much about it.