Cooper bat question(s)

[DonTheLegend]

i dont know a whole lot about Cooper bats and i am hoping someone can help me out.

Bigtruck will probably laugh is azz off after reading this (knowing why im asking), but im trying to educate myself and make an informed decision about an item.

-where, if any place, can i find info on these? who makes them, etc..

- looking at the Cooper models, it seems that they have similar numbers to Louisville Slugger models. (i.e. C243, M110, etc...) what is the connection, if any?

any help is appreciated.

thanks!

-Donny

[MSpecht]

Re: Cooper bat question(s)

Hi Don ---

Here is a link to general info about Cooper bats. http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=1985&highlight=cooper+bats

Cooper professional model bats are seen with the centerbrand shown below in either a thin oval version (pictured) or a wider version of the same logo (more rugby- ball- like). A very rarely seen logo, likely from 1996 and possibly 1995, is the Cooper name not enclosed in a circle (see http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_f...ghlight=cooper )In general, use of professional Cooper bats in the Major Leagues was seen from the 1980's extending into the early-to-mid 1990's. Frequently the model numbers correspond to H & B model numbers associated with and ordered by the player whose name is seen on the barrel. As with any bat, the H & B records provide solid guidelines as to the model, length, and weights preferred by an individual player during a specific label period for purposes of comparison. In other words, don't look for Dave Winfield to start using 33 inch bats from another manufacturer while swinging 35 1/2 inch H & B bats.

Good Luck

Mike jackitout7@aol.com

[DonTheLegend]

Re: Cooper bat question(s)

awsome!!

thanks for the help.

and thanks to those that have taken the time to email me as well.

-Donny

[cjosefy]

Re: Cooper bat question(s)

When did they stop making these? Here is a picture of Canseco in 1998 using one.

[bigtruck260]

Re: Cooper bat question(s)

....Also wondering if there was a connection to Nike? The Cooper and Nike bats had a similar appearance - and I believe they were both being shipped out of Canada..?

If this is the case - did Nike obtain ordering records from Cooper? Is there a possibility that Nike sent out "samples" to previous Cooper customers?

Might be far-fetched, but just thought I would ask since we are on the subject...

Thanks,

Dave

PS - Donny, I did get a slight chuckle out of your initial post.

[cjosefy]

Re: Cooper bat question(s)

Here is a Canseco bat that is very similar to the one pictured above. Since this has to date to 1998 (via the Canseco picture) can anyone provide clarification as to the dates of usage? The post mentioned above seems to indicate that they stopped making bats in 1996.

[bigtruck260]

Re: Cooper bat question(s)

OK Guys-

Check out this link. It looks like Cooper ceased production in 1996;

http://www.kr3bats.com/history.asp

That should narrow your research some Donny.

Dave

[MSpecht]

Re: Cooper bat question(s)

Here is a short summary of the referenced site above, and a link to a new blog on the Expert's Corner section of Game Used Universe that shows the historical timeline of Cooper bats : http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/blog/topic.php?forum=33

In short, Cooper was approved for Major League use on March 27, 1986. Tony Fernandez had attempted to use a Cooper bat in 1995, but was sent back to the dugout to get an "approved bat." On April 11, 1986 Buck Martinez was the first player to get a hit using a Cooper bat in a Major league game.

By 1995 over 70,000 major league bats had been made for over 850 Major League players over the previous 10 years.

In 1996 the Cooper line was discontinued at the Cambridge plant. The corporate decision to transfer production to another location led to a decline from 130 pro players to less than 5 pro players in just one year. Use of Cooper bats diminished and ceased over the next year or two. In 1999 the bat division of Cooper was purchased by a long-time employee who began his own company and the production of a new line of bats, KR3, which received a Major League license on February 2, 2001.

More than 99.9 % of all Cooper bats were manufactured between 1986 and 1996, with much-reduced (virtually non-existant) production in 1997 and 1998. It is likely that the rarely-seen Cooper "uncircled" logo is evidenced on bats produced following the operational move to the new plant, between sometime in 1996 to 1998, which would explain the rarity of those examples based on overall production numbers.

Mike jackitout7@aol.com

[Vintagedeputy]

Re: Cooper bat question(s)

Here is a short summary of the referenced site above, and a link to a new blog on the Expert's Corner section of Game Used Universe that shows the historical timeline of Cooper bats : http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/blog/topic.php?forum=33

In short, Cooper was approved for Major League use on March 27, 1986. Tony Fernandez had attempted to use a Cooper bat in 1995, but was sent back to the dugout to get an "approved bat." On April 11, 1986 Buck Martinez was the first player to get a hit using a Cooper bat in a Major league game.

By 1995 over 70,000 major league bats had been made for over 850 Major League players over the previous 10 years.

In 1996 the Cooper line was discontinued at the Cambridge plant. The corporate decision to transfer production to another location led to a decline from 130 pro players to less than 5 pro players in just one year. Use of Cooper bats diminished and ceased over the next year or two. In 1999 the bat division of Cooper was purchased by a long-time employee who began his own company and the production of a new line of bats, KR3, which received a Major League license on February 2, 2001.

More than 99.9 % of all Cooper bats were manufactured between 1986 and 1996, with much-reduced (virtually non-existant) production in 1997 and 1998. It is likely that the rarely-seen Cooper "uncircled" logo is evidenced on bats produced following the operational move to the new plant, between sometime in 1996 to 1998, which would explain the rarity of those examples based on overall production numbers.

Mike jackitout7@aol.com

Has anyone ever seen a KR3 ?

Jim

[bigtruck260]

Re: Cooper bat question(s)

No. I was just thinking that while looking at their site.
They probably can't provide the endorsement money that the big guys can.

If I was in the bigs - this is exactly the kind of company I would look to proivide me my bats. All they really need is one superstar...

Dave

[MSpecht]

Re: Cooper bat question(s)

Hi Jim--- here is the center brand --- and a link to an ebay auction that offers a commemorative KR3 bat signed by Ferguson Jenkins.:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/KR3-Canadian-Hand-Crafted-Wood-Baseball-Bat-Jenkins-%235_W0QQitemZ170189075844QQcmdZViewItem

Mike Jackitout7@aol.com

[cjosefy]

Re: Cooper bat question(s)

Thanks for the great information Mike! I guess this is relative good news for my Canseco Cooper bat from 1998.

[earlywynnfan]

Re: Cooper bat question(s)

My Vlad gamer.

Ken

[MSpecht]

Re: Cooper bat question(s)

Great bat, Ken--- thanks for posting. A couple of questions--

1) Does the ring to the left of the center brand appear to be like the Rawlings ring (common to KR3 bats?

2. What info is stamped on the knob and/or end of the barrel, if any? It is hard to tell from the photo.

Interesting spelling on the name Vladimir also as a point of interest.

Thanks

Mike jackitout7@aol.com

[earlywynnfan]

Re: Cooper bat question(s)

The red ring is only maybe a quarter inch wide, so it's much narrower than a Rawlings. The knob is hard to read due to use, but it looks like the standard cooper knob, with length, weight, and model number screened on (not stamped into the wood) in some sort of ink.

Ken