Check out this Bench "Gamer" Wow..just wow

[neverfinished94]

...but they have a custom hologram LOL

Goes to show the trust people will put into a piece of paper and shiny sticker (is it even custom Andrew? Looks better than other "famous" authenticator's stickers)

here are the custom holograms. 100 of them for $10

http://cgi.ebay.com/100-ROUND-TAMPER...item439cf7e284

[BMH]

Brian -

I was teasing you. Your'e really an assett (as opposed to asshat ) to the forum. having you speak to the visuals this dude is providing is what I truly live for in this forum.

At the beginning of the thread, I was under-educated, and after seeing and 'listening' to all of this stuff, I have a great respect for what you and some of the other guys bring here.

I collect bats, and this is a good reference thread.

Thanks, but I still shouldn't have said that, it was a bad day and that is no excuse. I've been debating writing a letter apologizing. I should just bring the tech and not get heated.

Anyway, I should just do what I should when asked questions. Luckily, I have in my department of Pro bat 3 workers who've been working for me for the past 40yrs. each. All three of them worked on Bench bats. Here are our findings.

1. It does not have the model number on the knob, which is questionable, but hey we could have missed it.

2. The bat appears in the pictures to me and my workers to be foil branded. Now does this mean it's a souvie? No, we could have had a screw up and have foil branded because we sent it through combination before burn branding.

3. I also have records on 11/29/01, 11/11/99, 11/21/87 of Johnny Bench Entertainment ordering 34.5in/0.0oz bats. These are of course souvie bats. That does not mean this is a souvie, 34.5in bats were a standard for Mr. Bench.

Now, does this mean the bat in question is a souvie bat? I can not 100% answer that question. If you as a buyer like the bat and feel you are paying a good price for it I would no blame you. I've bought fake M1 Winchester Garand stocks so I can't say much

Just remember "caveat emptor"

[Mark17]

Well, this thread was just too much fun to not get involved, so I had my own email conversation with the seller:

My email to him:
Hi,
Pro model bats all have burned in labeling (going back to the 1910
era) and your bat has foil markings. Furthermore, your bat has no pro
model number on either the knob or the barrel (it would be on the knob for a 1973-75 bat or the barrel for a 1977-79 bat.) You state this is a model
R43, but that style (used by Babe Ruth) has a big knob, not a flared one as yours has. Also, the "C" refers to a cupped-end bat, and your bat isn't cupped. Besides, with no model number on your bat, how could anyone make a claim as to what model it is? There is NOTHING about your bat that is consistent with a pro model bat. Lastly, I see your authenticator and you live in the same town. Coincidence?

His reply:
Hi Back, This bat is not foil stamped, read the questions and answers
first, then ask a question. I will not repeat myself simply due to you dont
want to read. This brand is deeply etched, there is NO heated foil on this
bat that would flake off. I explained all this already. Furthermore, I also
explained the model number. Wake Up, Do we need to sit down and have
coffee? Why do I have to answer the same question over and over. I said
R43? You are confused! What do you mean "C"? You mean R43C? I see you are not reading this auction. That is nowhere mentioned in this auction. You must be stuck on the old auction and COA. I see, you must be from the GUU forum. Now I understand. Lastly, The same town? Are you Drinking? Queens, NY is a borough with over 3 million people, not like Harris, MN with a population of 1,200! Queens is not a small country town, FYI! Now I know you must be from the GUU forum where all the chidren play and worship so called experts. The authenticator does not live in Queens he moved well over 5 years ago. Cheap internet detective tools, LOL! I do not live near the authenticator, try another Dtv tool. The truth to all your questions is in the answers I give and the description I have provided. Open your eyes.

I speak confidently by saying all this, for I am confident in that this bat
is in fact used by Bench, I just dont have the understanding how to prove it, yet. This is my whole point to why I put the Bench up, I know what it
is. I want the experts to tell me what it is, or what they feel it is. I
want them to answer all my questions and stop running from a challange, if in fact they are genuine authenticators. They can not prove what a fake is, how then do you trust them to prove what a genuine is? Do you not understand, I want all the facts. Not "opinions". Not "well it could be,
but?"... Not "its not real, because I say so". Especially NOT "half the
facts and half the opinions". Where are your experts now? Tell GUU and BMH I said Hello.

Since he's checking out this forum I'll reply to him here instead of by direct email.

1. I still have issues with the claim this is a R43C model bat. Yes, the seller is correct in saying that part of the description has been deleted, and apparently we now have a new COA. But, it is still the same bat offered for sale! If it no longer is R43C, then what is it? How good was the authentication to claim it was an R43C initially? If he's now saying he doesn't know what model number it is, how can he confirm it by shipping records? Length alone isn't nearly enough (obviously.) :-) At least it's good to know he can get a new COA at a moment's notice when the original COAis shown to have obvious flaws.

2. Yes, I'm drinking. I've had a few Bass ales (burp!)

3. The authenticator USED to live in Queens, but he moved five years ago. If true, still a coincidence for someone to offer a questionable item authenticated by a former virtual neighbor.

4. Yes, I do worship Mr. Specht and Mr. Hillerich and Mr. Miedema (hope I spelled that correctly) and Rudy who helped me a lot with the Steinbach jerseys I was selling last year, and all the other very legitimate experts who post here. Not to mention Mr. Malta and Mr. Taube. I have statues of each in my front lawn in fact.

5. Saying one is "confident in that this bat is in fact used by Bench, I just dont have the understanding how to prove it, yet..." begs the question: How are you so confident it was used by Johnny Bench? You aren't even confident of the model number.

[jppopma]

How can you NOT trust an item that comes with a 4 page LOA???? If only it had four of those special holo stickers...I'd be right there.

[jbsportstuff]

Well our seller ended the auction and cancelled all the bids. Very interesting. It's obvious that they are watching everything we are putting up on TSA and the seller and the obvious connection.

These are the types of sellers that ruin the name of game used collecting.

[xpress34]

Tell GUU and BMH I said Hello.

Since he's checking out this forum I'll reply to him here instead of by direct email.

1. I still have issues with the claim this is a R43C model bat. Yes, the seller is correct in saying that part of the description has been deleted, and apparently we now have a new COA. But, it is still the same bat offered for sale! If it no longer is R43C, then what is it? How good was the authentication to claim it was an R43C initially? If he's now saying he doesn't know what model number it is, how can he confirm it by shipping records? Length alone isn't nearly enough (obviously.) :-) At least it's good to know he can get a new COA at a moment's notice when the original COAis shown to have obvious flaws.

2. Yes, I'm drinking. I've had a few Bass ales (burp!)

3. The authenticator USED to live in Queens, but he moved five years ago. If true, still a coincidence for someone to offer a questionable item authenticated by a former virtual neighbor.

4. Yes, I do worship Mr. Specht and Mr. Hillerich and Mr. Miedema (hope I spelled that correctly) and Rudy who helped me a lot with the Steinbach jerseys I was selling last year, and all the other very legitimate experts who post here. Not to mention Mr. Malta and Mr. Taube. I have statues of each in my front lawn in fact.

5. Saying one is "confident in that this bat is in fact used by Bench, I just dont have the understanding how to prove it, yet..." begs the question: How are you so confident it was used by Johnny Bench? You aren't even confident of the model number.

Check out my 'discoveries' in the Gehrig Bat Thread.

- Chris

[xpress34]

His reply:

Lastly, The same town? Are you Drinking? Queens, NY is a borough with over 3 million people, not like Harris, MN with a population of 1,200!

Queens is not a small country town, FYI! Now I know you must be from the GUU forum where all the chidren play and worship so called experts.

The authenticator does not live in Queens he moved well over 5 years ago. Cheap internet detective tools, LOL!

I do not live near the authenticator, try another Dtv tool.

The truth to all your questions is in the answers I give and the description I have provided.

Just an FYI that I posted in the Gehrig Bat thread as well... unless he is lying about his location on his eBay listing, or TSA is not located anywhere near their P.O. BOX (unlikely) and address should be correct - the COAs were just printed the day of or day before the 1st auction for most of these items.

Yes, the 'authenticator' moved... to Maspeth, NY from College Point, NY. And both of those places, including Whitestone, NY (TSA's PO Box location) are all with a 10 mile drive from the CENTER of Queens ( Flushing Cemetery).

So, 'MR TSA' or 'nycsportsstore4u' on eBay (whichever or whoever you are)... since you're following what's going on here, why not just come clean? You're just digging a bigger hole like Mr Clemens... deny, deny, deny...

BTW - I wrote the HOF to see what their take is on items being 'given back' after being donated... I'm guessing you had to give back your Lifetime Pass to the Hall? Or did they not give you one?

- Chris

[lehmsbobby]

If you go to that TSA authenticator website there is a link for auctions, where they currently have two babe ruth gu bats a honus wagner and a gehrig.

this is great this guy must have made up the authenticator and website to sell his stuff

[legaleagle92481]

If the authenticator does not live in Queens why does his brand new website list his company's address as a PO box there?

[earlywynnfan]

He's back!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Babe-Ruth-19...kAAOSwjVVVv9tc