Maury Wills model bat

[bigtrain]

Looking for opinions from you bat experts. I have had this bat in my collection for many years. It has the number 6 marked on the knob but under the 6 it is stamped F109. The trademark suggests that it would be early 1960s. Any chance this is a professional model? It measures 34 inches.

[ooo-ribay]

It looks like a 1950-60 era pro model bat, but Vince Malta's book shows Wills using C222, S256 and U1's....no F109. The look of the Powerized is telling, as well.

Edit: the length is good.

[rlevy]

I used to own a 1959-60 Wills rookie era bat, F109, 34 1/2 ", with the #30 written on the knob. I know it was a pro game-used bat, as I got it in a collection of about 30 bats I bought from the Dodger batboy years ago. You may be able to get more info by e-mailing John Taube to see if Wills used a 34" bat.

Also, hard to tell, but it looks like there may have been a "3" underneath the cross-outs on the knob, and the "6" looks like it may have originally been a "0", which someone extended to turn it into a "6".

Rick

[bigtrain]

Thanks Rick. I never noticed that but it is a 30 under the cross out and was turned into a 6.

[sicollector1954]

His most popular model was W 248 and was 34 inches in length and 32 oz. Nice bat.

[ooo-ribay]

Originally Posted by rlevy

Also, hard to tell, but it looks like there may have been a "3" underneath the cross-outs on the knob, and the "6" looks like it may have originally been a "0", which someone extended to turn it into a "6".

Rick

I think you're right!

[rlevy]

Originally Posted by bigtrain

Thanks Rick. I never noticed that but it is a 30 under the cross out and was turned into a 6.

A couple of other things to check on. Which side of the barrel has ball marks? Wills was a switch hitter, so ball marks should be on both sides of the barrel if he used it. #6 was Carl Furillo in 1959 and 1960, but I don't believe he would have used a 34" bat. On the other hand, Ron Fairly switched to #6 in 1961, after Furillo retired, and I used to have one of his bats which was identical to the Wills bat I used to own F109 34 1/2". Possibly the bat was lying around, and he stared to use it in 1961. He was a left handed batter, so ball marks would be underneath the label if he was the normal label up type of hitter.

I should note all of the above is pure speculation.

Rick