joe di bat!

[momen55]

fellas;
i am being offered a joe di gamer, it is model D29, 35" for a real good price. it is cracked. now, is it worth repairing to amke it look nicer or leave it alone?
i need to act on this asap as the price is really nice and negotiable too!
i looked at his records and he ordered that length in 48-49. let me know what you think about it!:D

[scottanservitz]

Momen,
If it is a really bad crack I would think about it. If it lays flat, I would leave it alone. How about some pics.....if you get it.

Scott

[yanks12025]

Whats he asking because i think Joe D bats are worth like 20,000-40,000. As long as its from his career because i think the D29 was his pro stock model and post career bat.

[yanks12025]

Whats he asking because i think Joe D bats are worth like 20,000-40,000. .

Sorry just checked and im way off its for like 15-25K.

[momen55]

according to his records, he ordered 35" D29 in 48-49, 35 and 36oz. post career were 34.5 and 36 inches.
he is asking $600 for it. i have to get in touch with him so i can see it. he says it is cracked but in one piece and that at one time had tape on the handle. i don't know if that affects the value or not.

[bigtruck260]

[quote=momen55;91626]
he is asking $600 for it.[quote]

$600? or $6000?

[momen55]

$600
here are some pics he emailed. not the best, but at least an idea of what it is. if it is ligit, i will definitely buy it.
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[ndevlin]

I cant quite tell from the pics, but even if it is a store model bat/stock, I've seen those go for more than $600. I'd buy it.

[yanks12025]

Momen55,
If you decide to pass on it please send me his info at boblee89@yahoo.com Thanks

[momen55]

it is not a retail bat. the pics and details match the pics that are in the malta book that i have. post career bats are smaller and obvious different centerbrand and barrel brands. i have to call him for more details.

[treant985]

I'd just buy it if I were you, solely on the chance that it could be a legit gamer offered at a ridiculously low price. Even if there's only a 4% chance it's legit, that would make it worth it. If you think there's greater than a 4% chance it's legit, then I'd say just buy it and worry about the crack later

[ndevlin]

I would agree. The crack would be the least of my concern.

[momen55]

that is why i am asking. to get more certainty on it. it matches factory records. what else could it be?
whoever has the malta book, look at maggio page and look at my pic, they are identical. and the fact that it is 35" helps too.

[karamaxjoe]

Okay for the moment lets say the bat is the real deal, why is this poor fool giving it away? Does he know what he has?

Mike

[momen55]

after talking with the guy, the price went up! in which case, it's ok.
now, i don't know much about bats from that era, so what else can it be if not a gamer?
he told me his son had a job cleaning old homes and found the bat along with some others.

[3arod13]

after talking with the guy, the price went up! in which case, it's ok.
now, i don't know much about bats from that era, so what else can it be if not a gamer?
he told me his son had a job cleaning old homes and found the bat along with some others.

What made the price go up? Do you think he could tell your eagerness in the bat and realized it was worth more?

[yanks12025]

What do you mean the price went up?

[ndevlin]

The sirens are going off, the red lights are turning!!!!! Perhaps a scam??

[momen55]

it's not a scam. the guy is local and i have arranged to go see the bat. i will see then what it is.

[yanks12025]

Momen,
Please send me a email with your phone number. Thanks boblee89@yahoo.com

[momen55]

mike,
chime in whenever possible. anyone know dimaggio gamer patterns to look for. what characteristics should i look for on this bat? i need to know before tomorrow.

[yanks12025]

When are you going to view it on Saturday, because i'll look at some past auctions for you.

[ndevlin]

I received an email from this seller earlier today and I would probably pass, which I did. If its too good to be true, it probably is.

[yanks12025]

ndevlin,
In the past i have gotten good deals with bats just like this bat. I once bought a 1951-53 Larry Berra game used bat from a local auction for $45 and i was also able to buy a Mickey Mantle bat off ebay for $100. These goods deals are still out their. I forgot what thread it was in but someone said they picked up a Ernie banks bat,a mickey mantle and acouple of other HOFER's from a flea market.

[ndevlin]

Very true. I dont know how much he went up in price, he never mentioned a difference in price in the email at all. He also stated he wouldnt post anymore pics. If I was local, that would be one thing to actually see it, but I dont like sending that much money to someone without seeing it, not very good pics, not wanting to send more pics, and the changing of the price.

I guess my point is if I lived 15 min. away from this person I could go see it, but theres no way Im going to send that much money to someone for a bat that could or could not be even his. At least with Ebay, they have a user name and privacy policies.

[yanks12025]

ndevlin,
You are kinda right. But for me i dont know if i would go to his house if i lived so close, because their are some crazy people out their in the world that do stuff like this. They get you to come over and then you are never heard from or seen again. I would beware Momen you never know.

[ndevlin]

Haha, very true as well. And if you read the email he sent me, not only would it make you completely dizzy, it would make you 10 times dumber also.

[momen55]

you guys are funny! i am going to see it saturday. i will let you guys know what happens and what it is. again, it matches factory records so it doesn't hurt to look.

[metsbats]

mike,
chime in whenever possible. anyone know dimaggio gamer patterns to look for. what characteristics should i look for on this bat? i need to know before tomorrow.


I"m not Mike but Joe Carrieri who was a Yankee batboy during the Joe D era has offices about 1 mile from my house. My wife used to work for him at his law office. I can try to email him and ask him if Joe D used to even tape his bats. I've never seen a Joe D gamer with a taped handle.

David

[Swoboda4]

David,that black electric tape job reminds me of what we used to do as kids to keep using a cracked bat. The bat could be very real and just was used afterward by kids. Back then nobody understood preserving an item like this. It was more ,lets see what it feels like to hit a ball with Joe's bat. Thanks for the mention on the Swoboda I still can't believe it. Andy may be selling some "doubles" from his collection.

[metsbats]

David,that black electric tape job reminds me of what we used to do as kids to keep using a cracked bat. The bat could be very real and just was used afterward by kids. Back then nobody understood preserving an item like this. It was more ,lets see what it feels like to hit a ball with Joe's bat. Thanks for the mention on the Swoboda I still can't believe it. Andy may be selling some "doubles" from his collection.

I contacted for a List of items he has available.

Back to the Joe D bat, in Joe Carreri's book he states that the bat boys used to be able to take one bat home at the end of the season. In those days they were not considered collectibles and were sporting goods equipment for them to use themselves. This was especially true for players gloves.

David

[ndevlin]

So did you end up getting it today momen?

[momen55]

i got the bat today and it is nice. it looks way better than the pics. take a look. everything matches factory records; length, weight, brands. very happy with it. has a little deadwood on right of barrel which would be consistent with a righthanded batter. cracks aren't bad either.
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[yanks12025]

Bat should have been mine but you cant get them all. I seen the bat on craigslist also but thought nothing of it till Momen made this post. So i sent the guy a money order over night and he could not wait till monday to pick it up(guess i should have done a western union but thought he was a scam).

Also is their any knob because you can't really see it.

[ndevlin]

So you sent him money already? What if you dont get it back?

[yanks12025]

Oh me better give me my money back. Later im going to call him and give him a peace of my mind.

[ndevlin]

So how much did he go up in price?

[yanks12025]

I sent $620.

[metsbats]

Momen55,

Looks like a nice bat. The tape may have been put on the upper handle to only repair it as it was aligned with the crack and not where a player would normally grip the bat (unless Felix Milan used it).

The bat has a flared handle. Are you going to sent it to MEARS for authentication? If you got this bat at a low price and it may be worth it.

Enjoy!

-David

[momen55]

david;
thanks for the info about the batboy. i don't plan on sending it to mears or anywhere. if and when i sell it, whoever i sell it to if they want to sent it in to whomever they can can do that. i am not going to pay someone to tell me what it is when i know what it is.
it will be a one on one when i sell it. i need to sell it soon though so i can payoff my debts.:D in the meantime, it will rest with my other gamers.

[momen55]

i cleaned the old tape residue and it looks even better! the original finish is absolutely beautiful.
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[yanks12025]

Metsbats,
Did Joe D ever order bats with a flared handle, because in vinces book its says he ordered the Ruth(large) knob which in the photos Momen posted dont look like like a large ruth knob.

[yanks12025]

i cleaned the old tape residue and it looks even better! the original finish is absolutely beautiful.
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I think that would hurt the value now that you did that, because you never know Joe may have put the tape on it. Also how much did you buy it from him.

[momen55]

the record shows D29L, for large knob(ruth), and D29. that is what is in the malta book i have. it is here on the forum as well.

[bigtruck260]

I think Tim Byington (HOF Bats) has removed tape and oiled antique bats...his collection is top notch, and I don't remember removing tape hurting value.

Would be interesting to see what he has to say about it.

[b.heagy]

I doubt Joltin Joe would have taped the bat. Cracked it and got rid of it. Batboy or the lucky person to retrieve it probably taped it. Just My opinion.

[metsbats]

Metsbats,
Did Joe D ever order bats with a flared handle, because in vinces book its says he ordered the Ruth(large) knob which in the photos Momen posted dont look like like a large ruth knob.


Yanks12025,

That's what is odd about this bat the flared handle. Could it be a team index bat? Perhaps Mike S or BMH can shed some light on this Joe D.
bat.

David

[metsbats]

I think Tim Byington (HOF Bats) has removed tape and oiled antique bats...his collection is top notch, and I don't remember removing tape hurting value.

Would be interesting to see what he has to say about it.

I purchased a Gil Hodges 58-61 white letter pro model Adirondack couple of months ago with black tape which I removed. Fortunately there was not residue that i needed to take off. It makes the bat look nicer without the tape.

David

[yanks12025]

Metsbats,
I remember that Gil Hodges bat. i really liked it but did not have the money. The model number on the knob ends in a S dont it. I have a bat just like it but its a Robinson type(Jackie Robinson) from 1958 which is post career. But the guys at Mears think its just a bat ordered by another major leaguer or something?

Also with the joe dimaggio bats that i looked up from past auctions i seen none with a flared handle. So im guessing team index?

[ndevlin]

So how much more did the price go up the seller was talking about?

[karamaxjoe]

On the MEARS website Dave Grob has weighed in on this subject:

I got an e-mail asking about Joe DiMaggio D29 bats at 35” ordered before 1950. While these don’t show up in DiMaggio’s personal order sheet by this model and length during this period, I did find these listings as part of Team Order or Team Index Orders.


Joe DiMaggio D29 35” inch bats prior to 1950:

Cincinnati Reds Team Index 3-14-45: 35”, 32oz Joe DiMaggio D29

Baltimore Elite Giants: DiMaggio Model bats 3-4-41 (35”) No model listed

Birmingham Black Barons: DiMaggio D29, 1-14-47, (35”)

Boston Braves: DiMaggio D29 35”, 6-20-45

Newark Eagles: DiMaggio D29 35”, 3-7-45

This does not mean the bat in question could not have been from an unrecorded or undocumented Joe DiMaggio order, but then you also have to weigh that against what information we do know to be out there as seen in these other non-New York Yankee's index orders. I am running an article on bat use in the Negro Leagues this week and briefly touch on this topic.

Dave Grob

[metsbats]

Metsbats,
I remember that Gil Hodges bat. i really liked it but did not have the money. The model number on the knob ends in a S dont it. I have a bat just like it but its a Robinson type(Jackie Robinson) from 1958 which is post career. But the guys at Mears think its just a bat ordered by another major leaguer or something?

Also with the joe dimaggio bats that i looked up from past auctions i seen none with a flared handle. So im guessing team index?


Yes it's a 123S. This is my cheapest alternative to a real Hodges gamer. Hodges didn't use 33" bats but it's a pro model.

According to karamaxjoe's post bat can be ordered by other player on other teams. Good information.

David

[Swoboda4]

I hope this helps.
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/redmills/dimag.jpg?t=1216610090
Robert

[momen55]

anyone else have input on what this bat could be? value?

[Swoboda4]

additional info:I had this photo made from a small picture in an old Yankee book. I made a negative and then produced an enlargement. I had joe sign it at a show in the late 80's. He told me that those were his bats and the photo was taken after one of them was stolen and then brought back. All the bats in the photo have flared handles(some with mid handle tape jobs)

[momen55]

robert;
what year is the photo from? i am trying to decipher this and need as much help as i can get. i need to get some estimated value so that i can sell it.
regarding the grob article that karamaxjoe posted, i narrowed it down to possibly being from the barons order of 1/14/47.
according to the brands on the bat that fall into that year period; centerbrand c-12, 1944-1948;
powerized p-7, 1946-1949;
signature bs-2.

mike and brian;
i need to here what your ideas are regarding this bat.

[Swoboda4]

Slow down in selling,you may or may not have something important.

1- I believe the photo is from 1941.

2- This is from an article (3/11/99)by Dave Anderson of the NY Times describing a golf incident where Joe refused to sign a bat from an old fan and then Joe discussed some important info on his bats with Anderson.

''Mr. DiMaggio,'' the man asked, ''will you please sign this bat?''
''I'm sorry,'' he said, turning toward the man. ''I don't sign bats.'
''But it's your bat,'' the man said. ''It's got your name on it. It's your model.'' He asked to see the bat and when the man handed it to him, he glanced at the ''Joe DiMaggio'' signature burned into the barrel, then he gripped the bat.
''It's got my name on it,'' he said. ''It's not my model.''


He returned the bat. As we moved on, I mentioned that as a youngster, I had a ''Joe DiMaggio'' bat.
''You're right,'' I said. ''That man's bat had a thick handle. The bat I had, the handle was very thin.''
''And whenever I got a shipment of new bats,'' he said, ''I sand-papered the handles even thinner.''

3. In this photo of yours there's a slight dark mark on the edge of the handle at around "1 O'clock".
http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=15108&d=1216525552
This is nonsense but this mark is bothering me because it looks similar to the mark on one the bats in my photo. As he holding the 5 bats look at the butt handle of the middle bat. The one his left forefinger is touching it also has a similar mark at "1 O'clock".
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/redmills/dimag.jpg?t=1216610090

4-Most importantly he said he sandpapered his bat handles thin!!!!!! When he grabbed the bat from the autograph seeker he wanted to see if it was one of his,meaning game used. He checked the handle for his sanding job and didn't see it. Extremely important after reading this article in now knowing DiMaggio's bat prep habit for determining game use.

[momen55]

robert;
very nice info. as for value, i don't know how much but it is worth far more than what i paid. in a november 2004 hunt auction, a 34" D29 with cracked handle repaired with nails sold for $2,300+, so i know that this one is at least that much.

mine doesn't have any sanding marks, but doesn't mean it wasn't his either. maybe he hadn't got to it yet; maybe he gave it away, who knows.

maybe it's one of those negro league orders?

[momen55]

here is the link to that auction:http://www.huntauctions.com/online/imageviewer.cfm?auction_num=20&lot_num=202&lot_qual=

[momen55]

in talking with tim, he says it is probably an index bat. anyone else say the same, or could it be an undocumented, unrecorded or misrecorded model? :confused:
i am expecting it to be, but if not, that's ok. i am still selling it and hope to get a decent coin for it. :)

[jkalathas]

"i am not going to pay someone to tell me what it is when i know what it is."... so now why are you asking what it is?

[momen55]

that is the benefit of this forum, to get valuable info like i am asking for. the guys here know what they are talking about. thanks guys and keep the info coming!:D

[zookerman182]

You obviously got a bat for alot cheaper than it should have been sold for. If you believe its authentic no matter what anyone else says then whats the point? Its a nice bat, everyone knows its a nice bat, its even nicer now that you have cleaned the tape residue off the handle. I really dont know what more you are looking for people to tell you. You know what joe d authentic bats sold for so that should give you a nice bearing on what you could get for yours if its authentic. Sell the bat, make your "coin" and complete the flip. Trying to get every last dime of value for this already in question bat will get you nowhere. Especially if you already have a ballpark figure of what you would like for the bat. I wish you luck on your sale.

[Swoboda4]

Nothing more I can add except research with photos:
http://pro.corbis.com/images/U429120ACME.jpg?size=67&uid={1f8716e1-8253-4b3b-931e-89cb13564734}
Above are the bats before sanding. Which can be subtle so check carefully. http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/72075940.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF193875DCB1DD8387ABB510F134824980E05 4E9C89C783688B46
I would be more interested in images of joe with a bat and like above are difficult to get. This bat seems not to have been sanded.
http://i5.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/d8/01/de9f_1.JPG
Boning a bat. Pressing/compressing it against a bone to prevent it from cracking.
I guess thats about it. The main thing is you made a good deal. Good luck,it was nice to see.