VSA Auction Ending Thursday Apri 7th 2016

Lot #3:

Babe Ruth c. 1930 New York Yankees Professional Model Hanna Batrite Bat w/Heavy Use

This lot features a highly coveted Babe Ruth New York Yankees Hanna Batrite TA55 professional model bat exhibiting excellent overall use with ball marks, cleat marks and July 1930 manufacture date stamped into the knob. The bat measures 35 inches and weighs 33 ounces. According to well renowned bat authenticators at MEARS, these vintage bats could have loss up to 5 ounces of weight over the past century which would place this bat up around the 38 ounces mark if that would be the case. The key on this particular bat is the 35 inch length which is what The Great Bambino preferred to swing. In the late 1920's and early 1930's the Hanna Bat Company managed to convince some of the game's biggest stars to switch from Louisville Sluggers to their Batrite brand bats. The Athens, Georgia company developed a "Steel Tempered" finish which prevented checking (grain swelling) from repeated ball contact. Players like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx placed orders with the company and photo documentation proves they were used in big league games. For many years these Hanna bats were a mystery to game used collectors since unlike Louisville Slugger, no archive of player order records survives. However, game used equipment experts at MEARS have done groundbreaking research into the Hanna bats and discovered a few tidbits that shed light on these Hanna bats. For instance, the barrel of this Ruth model is stamped model number "TA55". "TA" was the code used by Hanna to identify their top of the line bat model. The most important information uncovered by MEARS comes from court documents originating from a lawsuit between Hillerich & Bradsby and Hanna. Lou Gehrig testified that he was under the impression that Hanna bats bearing his name on the barrel were for his professional use only, and not sold in stores. The same can be assumed for other player name stamped bats such as this Ruth, yet a 1930 catalogue offers Ruth and other player models to consumers. The factory stamping is both deep and dark and the ash has taken on a deep warm tone with age. This bat was originally purchased from an elderly couple who inherited it from a family in St. Petersburg, Florida in 2001. Babe Ruth's wife was from Athens, Georgia where Babe spent many offseasons and it is documented that he had visited the Hanna Factory. Below you will find 2 very interesting articles. The first speaks to a Lou Gehrig game used Hanna Batrite bat sold in auction for in excess of $400,000. The second gives a detailed account in Babe Ruth's own words as to the length and weight of the bats he preferred as his career progressed. Fascinating reading.

http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/new-gehrig-bat-uncovered-was-used-as-homeowners-protection/

http://www.psacard.com/articles/articleview/4947/fact-or-fiction-babe-used-bats-were-less-than-35-inches/