Wade Boggs Bat on Ebay ! Opinions please ...

[camarokids]

Hey guys and gals ! :)

any thoughts on the bat . the "12" on the knob does NOT match mine...

http://cgi.ebay.com/WADE-BOGGS-game-used-3000-HIT-BAT-LOOK_W0QQitemZ170116661724QQihZ007QQcategoryZ60596 QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Jim C. any thoughts ? thanks in advance to all

21 gun salute to all !!! (you know who)

[kylehess10]

"This quite possibly might be the bat Wade used for his 3000th hit"

:D :D :D

[sportscentury]

Well, it's not his 3000th hit bat, but it looks good. The knob stampings look fine, the ball ink marks are on the correct side of the barrel, and the rest of the bat looks right. If you don't want it, let me know and I'll bid on it.
Best of luck,
Reid

[metsbats]

I agree with Reid that's most likely not the bat. Though the HOF did not receive the 3000 hit bat either it was most likely kept by Boggs.

COOPERSTOWN, NY) — The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has acquired the bat, helmet, cleats and uniform pants used by Tony Gwynn, and the batting gloves, cap, jersey, and spikes worn by Wade Boggs, during the game in which each achieved his 3,000th career hit. The Hall of Fame has also acquired the lineup card used by Devil Rays Manager Larry Rothschild during Boggs' epic game and the one used by Padres Manager Bruce Bochy during Gwynn's historic game. Each player will present their artifacts to Hall of Fame President Dale Petroskey during pre-game ceremonies: Gwynn on August 13 in San Diego and Boggs on August 22 in Tampa/St. Petersburg.

While the bat does seem to be a professional model bat based on the stampings on the knob I would go further and look for typical Boggs characteristics like location of pine tar,etc.

Attached it a photo of Boggs hitting his 3000 hit. Not the labeling on the barrel is not even close to the labeling on the Adirondack on ebay and I would even venture to say the bat used was an Louisville slugger.

David

[metsbats]

Here's a better photo..

[JimCaravello]

The bat appears to be a legitimate Boggs gamer based on the stampings on the barrel and the knob - although I have never seen Boggs place a #2 on the knob in that fashion - with a loop in the "2".........if you look at the Boggs blog I have posted under the Experts Corner section, you will see what I am talking about. I personally have never seen a Boggs bat with a "2" penned like this and I have handled over 20 Boggs bats over the years. Could he have penned one like this?? Yes - he may have - I personally would not buy the bat........am I saying its bad........not at all.........Boggs was a creature of habit and I would prefer to spend my dollars on a bat that I know for a fact he penned the "2" on......another possibility is that someone in the clubhouse penned the "2" for Boggs or that a collector penned the "2"........Jim

[kingjammy24]

jim,

do you place a good amount of importance in the penmanship?
i asked that question here: http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=6079

from what it seems like, players or clubhouse staff can mark the knobs. i have no idea how much importance should be placed in penmanship and would like to know.

rudy.

[metsbats]

Here are some photos I found on Getty images from 1998-1999 showing the knobs of Boggs bats. As Jim notes, the number two is written consistently the same way.

David

[JimCaravello]

Rudy - tha answer is "Yes" for Boggs as he was a creature of habit as mentioned. The photos that David posted are great - they really show how Boggs penned that "2". 80's Boggs bats are similar, although Boggs "2" sometimes did not have a flat bottom - slight slant to it - but never looped like the bat on ebay right now. So for Boggs - I place a lot of emphasis on penmanship.

For other players - it depends on the player to be quite honest. Some were more consistent than others. At the end of the day, it depends on looking at numerous examples of bats and then also being comfortable with other use attributes the bat may have as well as any provenance if available.........Jim

[camarokids]

here is the knob on my boggs gamer , a 1999 Louisville Slugger B-349 , authenicated by our own Jim Caravello (I sent him some pics to look at , thanks again)

4443

[JimCaravello]

Guys - here is a great example of how Boggs penned his #2 in the 80s - these gloves are currently in the Sportsworld Auction - notice how the "2" is not looped, but the bottom of the "2" is not straight, as was more common in the 90's...........jim

[sportscentury]

$200 for this HoF bat? That is some deal. The 12 could have been written on there by any number of people (including a batboy or clubhouse guy, etc.), I agree, but the bat is good.

[camarokids]

That was a good deal for someone . But I didn't want to take a chance . Back in 1999 I bought a Boggs Rawlings bat from BPH that had 44# (Sorrento's #) on the end . I showed the bat to Boggs and he said ne never used the bat and that he gave some away to him to use .

At BP and whenever I saw Boggs at The Trop he always had Louisville Sluggers with him and the 12 was written like the bat I have. Bogg's also carried his bats around with him from the clubhouse . Now I could in now way see all his at-bats . But I believe the bat of choice was LS (correct me if I am wrong)