The Joe DiMaggio "Streak" Bat

[Archive]

Posted By: Dan B

After doing some research I have found some interesting items regarding DiMaggio and his bats during the streak. In a 1969 article in the Christian Science Monitor by Herb Goren, DiMaggio says "I would order a dozen bats. They would all look alike, same size, same weight. But there's always one that feels different. That's the one I'd work on. I would dip it in olive oil. I'd sprinkle it with resin. I'd put a small flame to it. And when it was good and dry, I'd file it down with sand paper. It would be hard and smooth and black. This was my bread and butter bat." He also states in the article that he never used his gamer in batting practice. I have done some research and have come to the conclusion that Joe used 4 bats during the streak. Bat number ONE was stolen in Washington between games of a double-header after Joe had hit in 41 straight games. Tommy Henrich was headed to the plate in game two and DiMaggio yelled at him that he had his bat. Henrich came back and told DiMaggio that it was a bat that Joe had lent him in early June. DiMaggio could tell right away that it wasn't his streak bat so he gave it back to Henrich. Joe took a new bat, Bat number TWO. DiMaggio used bat number TWO for 3 plate appearances getting a sac-fly a line out and a fly out. In the seventh inning Henrich urged DiMaggio to take his bat. DiMaggio then took the bat, bat number THREE the one he loaned Henrich and prompltly got a hit with it. Joe used bat number THREE for two games. When bat number ONE was returned to him (thanks to the mob?). He then used Bat number ONE until he broke it (this according to the Christian Science Monitor article). Joe then used bat number FOUR up through the end of the streak when it was ended in Cleveland on July 17th.

in summary
Bat ONE: Broken
Bat TWO: used for only 3 PA and never used again. Could not be the Mastro bat because it predates the July 1 order date.
Bat THREE: Henrich's borrowed bat - also predates the July 1 order date. This bat was raffled off by the USO in 1941.
Bat FOUR: The only possible bat that fits Bushing's criteria.

Assuming everything written in the Christian Science Monitor and Richard Ben Cramer's "The Hero's Life" is factual then this means that the bat sold by Mastro could only be bat number FOUR. Now I would like to hear how Bushing came to the conclusion that this bat was a streak bat gamer. Given the fact that he can't correctly identify Ichiro's bat (not to mention his numerous mistakes in dating gloves) now we're supposed to believe that he can identify Joe D's streak bat? The evidence is against the bat being a streak bat: Ball marks on the wrong side being the strongest evidence. The fact that it came from the attic of Tommy Henrich who he himself says that he used the EXACT same specification bat that Joe used and was known to borrow bats from DiMaggio brings it further into doubt. I could find no record in all of the sources I researched where DiMaggio gave the bat away. I did find mention that he gave his spikes that he used during the streak to the daughters of Jerry Spatola the man who got Joe's stolen bat back for him.

I think someone paid $350,000 for one of DiMaggio's throw away bats that he loaned to Henrich.