Was Black Betsy White?

[Deadball]

The Erwin Bat will be offered at auction today. Is there anyone who still believes it is Black Betsy? Do the original authenticators still stand behind their letters?

If you still believe, can you please explain:

--why Jackson was never photographed during his major league career with his favorite bat

--why Jackson called his favorite bat Black Betsy even though it was not black, while he had black bats he called by other names

--why a bat made c. 1901 would have the dimensions of the Erwin Bat rather than the dimensions common to the era

--if you believe Spalding removed Black Betsy's black finish and failed to replace it and also made the bat considerably shorter with a much thinner handle, when Jackson asked them only to “finish it”

--why Spalding would stamp that bat not only with the Spalding name but with separate stamps denoting a retail model

--if you believe it is a coincidence the newly finished and stamped bat matched in length, weight and stampings a Spalding store model bat from the late teens

--why Spalding produced a Black Betsy retail model not patterned on the Black Betsy they had finished for Jackson

I see Heritage visited the page displaying my contact information. Given that they have not written an addendum to their lot description, I must conclude they believe I failed to raise valid points.

~Take the red pill

Jim Johnson