Jackie Robinson Game used Bat

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Posted By: Matt

Hi everyone, I just discovered this site early this week and have been enjoying the forums. Here something interesting. The place that I work at hires contracted janitors to clean up the building. I had left a copy of the Beckett Graded card investor sitting at my lunchtable during break. The janitor saw it while he was cleaning and when we broke again for lunch he asked about it and if i collected and i told him yes and we were talking about what we collected. Then he tells me about how his father growing up was a huge Brooklyn Dodgers fan and somehow got a hold of a bat That Jackie Robinson broke while he was up at bat during a game he was at. He had the Bat fixed (professionally i dont know) and he gave it to him before he passed away. He said he would bring it in to show me next week. My question is, (If hes telling me the truth) if something like this is authentic what would it be worth?? I would think he should get it looked at by a professional and keep it protected. I just wanted to see what you guys thought.

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Posted By: jamiew

depends on year, condition, use, etc but at least 50K. saw one from his rookie year go for 130,000.

heres a recent sale:
http://www.mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot+Information&LotIndex=67179

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Posted By: Mark Steinberg

The Bat should be authenticated by Mears and/or PSA (John Taube). If authentic (and a nice example) it should realize well over $40,000 at a major auction.

Jackie Robinson Bats are seldom-seen, as he had an abbreviated career. I would suggest you contact Mastro Auctions, as they do well with these pieces, and are still accepting consignments through Feb. 26, for their April Premier Auction (so better hurry!)

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I can't imagine a janitor bringing a gu Robinson bat to work. If he's serious, he can bring photos.

At gameuseduniverse.com there is a section where you can see if the stamping on a Robinson bat matches a bat that would be given to him personally for game use-- as opposed to a store model. So you or the janitor can see if the stamping is correct for a gamer. A while ago, someone showed pics of his Hank Greenberg bat (or someone on that order) that he had for a long time, and the stamping was correct for it being the player's gamer. Of course, more people will have 'game used' bats that turn out only to be store models. The number of game bats the manufacturer made for a player like Robinson was very limited, so even a game bat without game use would be rare and valuable. There's also a MastroNet bat guide that lists all the stampings for star players, including I'm sure Robinson. Mearsonline.com has a place where you can inquire about a bat you own, with MEARS being one of the best known bat authenticating companies. In the past, they've been good about answering collector questions big and small. Someone there would have no problem telling you if the stamping is for a player issued or store model.

So there are resources where collectors can do their homework on bats, even if they plan on having someone else formally LOA it later.

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Posted By: Max Weder

David

I'm curious as to why you can't imagine a janitor bringing a game used bat to work. Am I missing something?

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Posted By: davidcycleback

It was my imagination. Considering none of us have ever seen a janitor with a Robinson game used bat at work, I don't know why this imagination would be considered controversial.

From a practical standpoint, I couldn't imagine why someone would bring a $40,000 piece of memorabilia to work. Where would he keep it while he works? Back seat of his car, a locker?

Add to it that when someone I don't know says they have a Babe Ruth game used bat or 1934 Goudey Napoleon Lajoie, my philosophy is I'll believe it when I see it. I'm not saying he doesn't have one, but I'll believe it when I see it. Do you know how many strangers have told me they had a T206 Honus Wagner and sent me a scan of a reprint?

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Posted By: Max Weder

David

That wasn't the point of my question. While the chance of it actually being a game used bat is admittedly small, why wouldn't the janitor bring the bat for Matt to look at? I must admit I have tremendous difficulty following your imagination on this one.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I said, "I can't imagine a janitor bringing a gu Robinson bat to work."

If this janitor brings a game used Jackie Robinson bat to work, my imagination will have been short in error.

Duly note that I have nothing against janitors. A janitor is as likely as a doctor to have a game used bat handed down from his dad.

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Posted By: peter ullman

one of my hygienists brought in to work for me to see/evaluate a team signed baseball from the early twenties of the ny giants that had mathewson and ross young auto...what's that worth? When it was a game?!

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Posted By: davidcycleback

A former Minnesota Twins minor league team bat boy brought over to my house game used jerseys of Killebrew, Carew, et al. The minor league team used the old Twins jerseys and at the end of the year he was allowed to take some. He even brought the team photo to prove he had been the bat boy.

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Posted By: Matt

Well I got a chance to see the bat in person tonight, I looked at the stamping on the knob of the bat it had been stamped with the number 47 and JR initials, it was a genuine Louisville Slugger, with the Jackie Robinson signature stamped on it as well I asked him what year he used the bat and it was 1950, so his third year, The repair job seemed decent since it was broken when he was at bat with it. I told him he should certainly get it Authenticated and even appraised by professionals. He only thought it was worth in the $500- $1000 range I think its worth much more than that as well as most of you think as well. To my surprise however, He gave me a 1962 Sport Magazine issue with Mantle on the cover and also autographed by Early Wynn who had a feature in the magazine that year as well, I thought that was pretty nice of him Lol Anyway thats the story on the bat and thanks to all of you for your responses and input

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Posted By: brock

If it's stamped on the knob JR47 thats a store model not a game used bat. Game used bats never have the players initials stamped on the knob. Here are the model numbers Robinson gamers should have C117L,G7,G7,H4,O16,R17,R17,R115,R115,S100,S100,W10 1(the double means different lenght models).