Question for BMH regarding WS Black Bat

[metsbats]

I have a question for BMH regarding WS Black Bats. I believe HB stopped making them after the 1998 WS. I'm referring the black team bats with the facsimile signatures or block letter player, manager, coaches, etc.

Why did HB stop producing black WS bats after the 1998 season?

Thanks
David

[BMH]

They were really hard to produce and we made them for free. Each name was put in on a foil branding machine. If you made a mistake anywhere during production, the bat would have to be remade. After the "FLORIDIA MARLINS" incident on 500 bats happened we decided to discontinue them.

[metsbats]

They were really hard to produce and we made them for free. Each name was put in on a foil branding machine. If you made a mistake anywhere during production, the bat would have to be remade. After the "FLORIDIA MARLINS" incident on 500 bats happened we decided to discontinue them.

Thanks BMH for the insight. These days we see more block letter bats of players so contracts with HB are apparently down with players having more choices due to the large amounts of alternative bat companies out there.

I was wondering if that played into the decision too as brand loyality is not there anymore with modern day players especially since these Black Bats were produced as you stated for free.

David

[bigtruck260]

I have a LS from the 2006 series (bigtimebats) - I guess you are outsourcing this task - or is it a different product altogether?

Dave

[Vintagedeputy]

My wife went to FLORIDIA State University....go Noles! :)

[metsbats]

I have a LS from the 2006 series (bigtimebats) - I guess you are outsourcing this task - or is it a different product altogether?

Dave


http://cgi.ebay.ca/1952-Yankees-World-Series-Bat-Mickey-Mantle-Yogi-Berra_W0QQitemZ200166014461QQihZ010QQcategoryZ5800 8QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem



Hi Dave, We are referring to the black WS commemorative bats like the ones currently available in this ebay auction

-David

[bigtruck260]

I know exactly what you are talking about. I bought a limited edition (10,000) Louisville Slugger (2006 WS Champs Cardinals signature bat) from a company called bigtimebats.com last year. It is not quite the same as the older models that LS used to make, but all signatures are engraved, etc.

I was wondering if LS is outsourcing these bats to bigtimebats.com or if BTB is just a distributor.

If LS can make 10,000 bats commemorating the world series, what is the big deal with making a few hundred for the employees, etc?

If I can get photos up this evening, I will.

Thanks,

Dave

[stlbats]

I would guess the difference is they sold those 2006 Cardinals bats ($120, I think?) and they made the players WS Comm bats for free.


Jason

ripken8@bellsouth.net

[bigtruck260]

I would guess the difference is they sold those 2006 Cardinals bats ($120, I think?) and they made the players WS Comm bats for free.


Jason

ripken8@bellsouth.net


Right Jason...but does LS make them or outsource them...? The say LS on them, but the only place I could find one (other than Ebay) was Bigtime bats - are they made specifically for that company, and if they were, at a qty of 10,000...what was the aquisition cost from Bigtime? What did LS sell them at and what kind of profit did they make?

The process seems about the same as the old black bats, if not more elaborate...

These questions may never be answered, but apparently theses are the only types of authentic LS world series bats we will see for a while.

Dave