12 inch wagner mini decal bat
 

I have been collecting mini bats for 30 years. I would like to give my opinion on this bat. if you have seen one of these bats you will notice the decal is on one side and the H&S logo is on the other.

Every time one comes up for auction it is called a salesman sample.

first any salesman sample the ones I have seen a stove or something else. Its is almost an exact miniature replica of the larger version. I would like to believe a baseball bat would be an exact miniature replica. its a round piece of wood that came from a factory that makes bats.

Could you see a salesman telling a store owner the larger ones will be different

the decals were meant to advertise the player and the company that made the bat. there is no way H&S would allow a bat that showed the player and didn't show the makers mark.

I don't believe they ever left the factory. of the six? 12 inch Wagner bats I have seen there always in near perfect condition.

It is my opinion of the half dozen I have seen in 30 years they were a mistake.
the decals were made the bats were made and the Wagner decal was to big to fit on the same side as the H&S logo.

I would go as far as saying that Bud Hillrich himself could have held these bats in his hands and made the decision to increase the size of the bats to 14 inches?. someone made the call. there are other 12 inch H&S cobb bats but the decal is different and does fit the bat. find a 12 inch H&S bat buy it? they didn't make many.

I have added some photos from my original post.

The Wagner bat that I claim that it is a mistake. find any other bat made by anyone that has there manufacturer,s logo and the decal or the players name on opposite sides of the barrel. if you do its probably a mistake.

the other one is a salesman sample. its a 14 inch H&B I don't have a blank H&S. I am not saying other mini decals were not used by salesman. but this one wasn't.

the reason I feel the this Wagner bat is important is because it could be one of the few bats that might have been directly handled by Bud Hillerich himself.

From what I have read he was very involved with the bats early in his career. not just making them but promoting them also.

most bat collectors would probably want to own a game used Ruth bat. me too. but owning a bat that was possible handled by the kid that made the bats for every hall of famer to ever play the game should get the respect it deserves.

And I intend to prove it . but I cant do it without some help.

IMO "Salesman Sample" is really a made up term to sell something smaller than normal.

Miniatures are made for just what they are, nothing more

there has been one Wagner mini bat that has gone to auction 10 times with its "original felt case"

Well guess what, the felt doesn't fit the bat. It is too wide, not long enough, but that's what the auction people said so it must be true. Baloney

That the bat has a decal that is too big for it, maybe that day at the factory the new employee screwed up, and unknown to him he made a rare collectable for 90 years from then.


Because Bud or anyone else might have "touched it"

IMO, who cares, it is a mini bat with a decal on it

where did it come from? Maybe the billets always came in 36" sizes. One day on of the guys was making kids bat of 22" and decided to uses the excess to make another smaller bat took it to Bud and said, look I made you a way to make more money and so the mini bat was made.

cool item, worth good money but I think you are making to much out of a simple item.

Sorry

wagner bat
 

billets are 48 inches. a 36 inch bat is not common but it does leave 12 inches.
I do agree that these bats are probably a product of left over material.
I am also aware of the wagner and Jackson bats you mention.
I have salesman sample bags for three different companies all made by Spalding. and they don't look like those bags.
I am just a collector that has spent a lot of time putting together a collection of mini bats.
I don't feel I am any different than any other collector that thinks they have something different .
and regardless of the many mini decal bats that are out there.
there is maybe six of these bats that alone makes them rare.
it is also my opinion that some of what I have said is correct. and I do believe this one bat caused some problems at the time the decals were being applied.
Louisville slugger there own records state that about 1916 is when they started using decals. there are 12 inch H&S Cobb, Lajore, Daubert bats but the H&S Baker, Jackson and speaker decals are the same size as the Wagner and I have only found them on 14 inch bats.
I realy thank you for responding to my post I am a little older than most and couldn't have put those photos on here without the help of my daughter.
I started collecting in the 60s in south boston when my granfarther gave me some stuff
so maybe I have other stuff that others might looking at?