Johnny Bench Game Used Bat

[capnsteve2]

Hello Everyone,

I introduced myself in my last post. In summary, I received a collection of items years ago from a family friend. All of the items in this collection have turned out to be authentically signed; however, this piece was given to me as a game used Johnny Bench bat.

I have done some research on another website and, at the very least, it appears to be consistent with what one of his bats could have been, and appears authentic. The signature is authentic (that's my opinion, but I'm very familiar with it), of course, that doesn't mean that the bat itself is.

In any case, I have added several pictures and hope that someone on here with more experience than I have can shed some light on it. I have not tried to photo match it.

It weighs: 34.6oz (could be 34.7 or 34.5, was hard to balance on my gram scale)

Here are some pictures, and I thank you in advance for your thoughts.

PS: if I'm posting in the wrong area, please forgive me as this is my second post.

[yanks12025]

Sorry to tell you but it's a store model bat.

[prichmond]

ok i'll be the idiot. how can you tell it is a store model bat?

Pete

[yanks12025]

It's foil stamped and not branded into the bat and also the trade mark after Bench.

[capnsteve2]

Yanks:

This website lists many Bench game bats and most of them have the TM or R after the name.

http://www.hofbats.com/members/uc/JBench.html

What is the foil stamp?

Thanks!

Steve

[capnsteve2]

It's foil stamped and not branded into the bat and also the trade mark after Bench.

Also if by foil stamed you are referring to th logos and writing on bat, it is not a stamp. It's etched / branded into the bat. Sorry if the pics don't show that well.

Does anyone else have any insights? Thanks in advance.

[capnsteve2]

Here are a couple of more hi-res photos. I looked up what Yanks meant by foil stamped and I see it refers to the signature. I added a better picture to verify if that indeed is the case.

With regards to the (R) after the name, it does appear that in photos he used bats with that on there.

Thanks again for anyone's insight, as I really appreciate it!

[momen55]

it is a retail bat. doesn't matter how you slice it. it is amazing that people think that because a bat is signed it is a pro bat. seen a lot of that lately. saw one on ebay and the seller swore up and down it was and is a pro bat.

[ironmanfan]

it is a retail bat. doesn't matter how you slice it. it is amazing that people think that because a bat is signed it is a pro bat. seen a lot of that lately. saw one on ebay and the seller swore up and down it was and is a pro bat.

if it's a retail bat, where are the inch marks on the knob?

[prichmond]

Vince Malta books does show a Bench bat with the R circled after his name. it also shows he ordered and R43 in 1966, 1968, 1976, and 1979 Only the 68 was not flame treated. They range in length from34 inches to 35.5 inches. Did they ship 1976 bats without the bicentenial logo?

Hope that helps

Pete