New 70's/80's Adirondack Info

[harpt]

This is not a major breakthrough, but since this issue stumped everyone here at GUU I thought I would post the limited amount I discovered about this bat to add a little something to our collective knowledge of late 70's/early 80' Adirondack bats.

Recently I posted a question about this Cecil Cooper bat http://www.premierauctionsonline.com....cfm?lID=23326 , trying to figure out what I was looking at. The centerbrand and barrel look normal, but the knob markings are unlike any I had previously seen. Well, here is what I found out. Again, not Earth-shattering, but a nice little addition to the knowledge pile from an era of collecting that we really should know more about.

Apparently this style of knob marking is a rare variation that started just before the style change in 1980. It was used for only a short time. It is unclear which of the two years the variation was used for certain, but it can be narrowed down to either late 1979 or early 1980. Special thanks to Tim Byington for helping me figure this out.

If anyone else has examples of this type of knob markings on the RAD bats from this era, please post pics. I'd love to see as many samples as possible so we can support this "theory" with more "data"

[tigerdale]

great info...thanks for posting!!

[MSpecht]

From the book BATS, published in 1995:

" Note that some Adirondack pro bats exist with the number code system indicating the bat was made in 1979. Under the model number (photo exhibit AD 4) is the code 012-9, with these numbers appearing larger than the code system that began in 1980. " ... Page 65

" Remember that in 1980 Adirondack began stamping the year the bat was made, as described in the player model section, except for the few bats which exist with the larger version of the code from 1979." ... Page 81

Mike jackitout7@aol.com

[BoneRubbedBat]

There are also examples of that centerbrand period that only have the model number and no mfgr code/date. Could they be an even earlier version of that centerbrand, or just a knob stamping oversight?

Who knows?

[harpt]

From the book BATS, published in 1995:

" Note that some Adirondack pro bats exist with the number code system indicating the bat was made in 1979. Under the model number (photo exhibit AD 4) is the code 012-9, with these numbers appearing larger than the code system that began in 1980. " ... Page 65

" Remember that in 1980 Adirondack began stamping the year the bat was made, as described in the player model section, except for the few bats which exist with the larger version of the code from 1979." ... Page 81

Mike jackitout7@aol.com

So, is the likelihood that the bat was produced in 1979 for use in the 1980 season? Is the code a date code i.e. 012-9 stands for December of '79, or (as in the case of my bat) 05-9 meaning May of '79?

Are any of these ideas (including those coming from the 1995 Bats book) known to be true, or are they educated assumptions/theories we are making based on the bats and patterns we have seen? I realize that Adirondack information has not been readily available like that of H&B/LVS.

[harpt]

There are also examples of that centerbrand period that only have the model number and no mfgr code/date. Could they be an even earlier version of that centerbrand, or just a knob stamping oversight?

Who knows?

"Who knows" is right. I would sure love to find out who knows. Somebody out there must. In the meantime it's pretty fun trying to figure it out.