Ripken bat on ebay

[mr.miracle]

I just had to post this one. A post from the question and answer section on a Ripken game used bat auction from ebay.

http://contact.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ShowAllQuestions&ShowASQAlways=1&frm=284&iid=330339419195&ssPageName=PageAskSellerQuestion_VI&redirect=0&requested=rjwenterprisesinc

Specifically this is just the best,

Q: I think $299.00 is way over priced.I will offer $75.00 ppd and you send it overnite for my approval.If I like it I will send you payment.Do we have a deal?Jun-23-09A: Sir-pickup your cell phone,dial 411 and ask for the "Missing Village Idiot dept"....call them and kindly turn yourself in b/4 you hurt yourself...I believe you've been missing in action for YEARS.

I love it, I am trying to stop laughing so hard!

[jv225]

I saw that one too. Definitely a good response to a ridiculous offer.
What do you think of the bat though? I would like to hear your opinion on it.

[cordovacollector]

To me the autograph on it is phonier than heck.

[cordovacollector]

Isn't this seller Ron the Sports Warehouse guy? I thought his stuff (at least in the olden days) was legit. Did that change?

[mr.miracle]

Isn't this seller Ron the Sports Warehouse guy? I thought his stuff (at least in the olden days) was legit. Did that change?

I am actually not really familiar with Ron the Sporte Warehouse guy or at least I never purchased anything from him that I remember. If anyone else knows anything about him or whether this is in fact him please feel free to chime in.

As far as the bat and autograph, the seller says the bat is a 34.5 inch bat. Ripken never ordered a 34.5 or according to LS shipping records was never shipped a 34.5 inch bat. I have seen acceptable variences in which say a 34.75 was deemed to be a 35 so perhaps this falls within the acceptable range. The bat itself matches the 86-89 labeling period from everything that I can see. I would like to see some additional knob pics, barrel pics, close up of the centerbrand, etc. however the seller indicated that they cannot provide this?? Ripken does have shipments or a shipment of 35" LS no finish bats on his order records in 89 so I am guessing that this is where this bat would fall. Unless I am missing something, I don't see any other orders in that time period 86-89 of any no finish bats on Ripkens orders. The good news is that from what I can see no orders of no finish Ripken bats went to any baseball promotional or misc. during this time either which would at least indicate that this is authentic it would seem in that it was shipped to Cal for use.

The pine tar pattern looks a little strange, but then again, authentica Cal bats have many different patterns of tar over the years so I don't worry too much about that. In fact, I have an F149 flame burned bat that the tar is a bit heavier on than this ebay bat toward the centerbrand but it does exhibit somewhat similar tar patterns as this ebay bat.

In terms of the autograph, I have asked several Ripken auto experts for their opinion. The auto does look a bit off to me. I am by no means an auto expert in fact, I only have two Ripken bats that are autographed and it is difficult to tell when comparing this picture auto to those because the one is on a 1981 M159 which has a different style Ripken then in the middle of his career and later. The other auto is on a 95 Ripken gamer bat and again, his auto style changed a bit. I am a bit concerned about the word Ripken on the sig. The Cal and Jr. look okay to me but if anybody else can weigh in please do.

It looks like the barrel has a bit of deadwood on the back if I can make out the pic correctly. It is difficult to determine ball marks, seam marks etc. from the pics but from what I can see I don't see the heavy impact marks but this is difficult to see again from the pics.

Ultimately, just not sure on this one. I think the bat largely looks good in my opinion based on other Ripken bats I have owned or examined.

[ironmanfan]

My thought on the bat is that it's possibly one of those "Anocada Kaye (?)" bats that could be ordered directly from them during that time frame (1987-1989)........The autograph on it however I can tell with 100% certainty is genuine

[ironmanfan]

From my "Lampson-esque" photo library are two postcards signed by Cal for me back in 1989 to show the same style autograph as on the bat...Also is a 1989 picture of Cal using a natural/no finish bat for comparison as well...

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k172/whhp72/abc1989.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k172/whhp72/abc1989-2.jpg

[Capital-Sports]

Cant say anything about the bat, but the autograph is a 100% genuine early full signature of Ripken