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1926-27 Zack Wheat Game Used Sidewritten Bat....
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Sold on Apr 24, 2009 for:
$8,066.25
Bid Source: HA.com/Live bidder
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Description
1926-27 Zack Wheat Game Used Sidewritten Bat. Astounding "fresh to the hobby" find is almost certainly the finest Zack Wheat bat surviving today, and the first lumber from this early Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Famer to reach the hobby's auction block in recent memory. The specific labeling style of this Spalding W26 allows us to definitively date the bat to the final seasons of Wheat's career, as he put the finishing touches on the numbers that would assure a Cooperstown plaque. While the extreme scarcity of any Wheat bat should be evident to those well-schooled in the hobby, it must be stressed that the specifics of this example set it apart from and above that thin supply.Beyond the heavy use apparent in plentiful ball marks and a light handle crack, the bat features an ancient mailing label from "Longview, TX" (handwriting is illegible) and factory side writing, likewise illegible but for the letter "B" at the start of the first name, and "W" at the start of the surname. One must presume these represent the initials for "Buck Wheat," Zack's popular nickname that is likewise burned into the barrel in block lettering. For those unfamiliar with the concept of "sidewriting," it is a term used to describe game used bats returned to the factory by the player for duplication. This "sidewriting," placed upon the bat by a factory worker's hand for inventory purposes, is considered the ultimate provenance for game used bats, as it ensures both use by the player in question and the bat's status as a player's favored style. The model number "W26," stamped at knob and barrel end, further assures that this bat was manufactured for, and used by, the legendary ballplayer. Length and weight are thirty-four inches and thirty-five ounces respectively. Based upon the fantastic use and what John Taube describes as "impeccable provenance," this rare treasure has been assessed a grade of GU 9. LOA from PSA/DNA.
Auction Info
2009 April Signature Vintage Sports Memorabilia Auction #714 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
April, 2009
23rd-24th
Thursday-Friday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 8
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 1,762
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
19.5% of the successful bid per lot.
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