Lou Gehrig "gamer"

[Mark17]

Now this guy is offering a "Lou Gehrig" bat for a mere $180,000.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1923-25-Lou-Gehrig-Rookie-Year-Game-Used-Bat-w-COA-LOA_W0QQitemZ260553208811

What makes this a guaranteed Gehrig bat? Not the name on the barrel, not the side-writing. The way we know this bat was used by Lou is that it has a squared-off barrel, and Lou sometimes used similarly altered bats. Well, I would be doubtful, but there is a 2-page LOA and 2-page COA to put my concerns to rest.

You know... I have a 1965-68 Bob Saverine gamer here, and as I think about it, who's to say Frank Robinson, Mickey Mantle, AND Roberto Clemente didn't all use it at some point? They all used 35" bats during their careers, and the bat has ball and stitch marks on both sides of the barrel... All I need is an impressive LOA/COA and I could offer it for, let's see, what would be fair? $25,000.

[spartakid]

Re: Lou Gehrig "gamer"

As long as you use Microsoft WordArt as the font for your COA, you're golden. Who in their right mind could question a COA with 3-D words????

[dirtyla2000]

Re: Lou Gehrig "gamer"

I would like 2 please!

[scottanservitz]

Re: Lou Gehrig "gamer"

As long as you use Microsoft WordArt as the font for your COA, you're golden. Who in their right mind could question a COA with 3-D words????

Sparta,
Good one! I laughed out loud.

[jbsportstuff]

Re: Lou Gehrig "gamer"

Be careful Mark...you will receive a threatening e-mail that will cause you to shake in your boots from the seller.

You can read what they sent me in the "Bench Gamer" thread just below.

Seriously though..these people sale fake stuff and threaten legal action if you oppose them. How crazy is that?

The Bench was just awful...and now this one is beyond ludicrous.

[gorilla777]

Re: Lou Gehrig "gamer"

Check out the Q and A at the bottom of the eBay listing for the bat too.

Funny stuff....

Ben

[MSpecht]

Re: Lou Gehrig "gamer"

WOW !!!!!!! This might be funny if there was not a remote chance that some potential buyer might fall for this.

Mike

[sayhey24]

Re: Lou Gehrig "gamer"

I have a couple of bats that are cut off and match the specs of this Lou Gehrig "gamer" -- I'm assuming if I offer them to him for ten percent of their value, a mere 18,000 dollars each, he'll want to snap them right up.

I'm also amazed that everytime someone asks him a question about one of his items, he's immediately able to contact the authenticator, even on a weekend or a holiday.

And one other thing that I haven't seen mentioned here or on the Bench bat thread -- how about his response to momen55 -- he apologized for mistakes because the Bench bat authentication was a "rush job" done in the middle of authenticating hundreds of older vintage bats this week. What buyer isn't looking for a bat that was authenticated in a mere matter of minutes???

And finally Mark -- I believe that even though he retired several years earlier, Ted Williams used a 65-68 Bob Saverine for most of his career.

Greg

[Mark17]

Re: Lou Gehrig "gamer"

Thanks, Say Hey, you just added $10,000 to the value of my Saverine.

I did mention to the seller that H&B shipping records don't exist anymore for 1924, since he seems to think the absence of 1924 Gehrig orders in Vince's book is part of his "evidence." But obviously he's not interested in learning anything. It's pretty clear what he's trying to do, and he knows it.

[sylbry]

Re: Lou Gehrig "gamer"

Had anyone tried to figure out who Fohler and Paul Suerh are?

For an authenticator I would assume this should have been step one.

[sylbry]

Re: Lou Gehrig "gamer"

At this time I would like to take a moment to reveal a break through I just had regarding a bat in my collection. It has been determined that my 1961-64 LS Dick Stigman bat was used by Roger Maris to hit home run 55 during his historic 1961 home run season.

Roger Maris grew up in Fargo, ND while Dick Stigman grew up in Nimrod, MN, roughly 30 minutes to the east. They became friends playing on travelling ball teams in the upper midwest and stayed in contact after both reaching the majors. On September 7, 1961, Stigman's Indians were in the Bronx for a series against the Yankees. As a joke, Mickey Mantle hid every one of Maris' bats prior to the game's start. Maris, in desperation went to his old pal asking to borrow a bat, since the both preferred to use bats made of wood, specifically a LS model M110.

Maris went deep of Stigman that day for his 55th homer of the season. As a token of his appreciation, Maris provided Stigman with a case of Hamm's beer.

The authenticator has verified the facts of this story using our authenticating team members at the psychic friends hotline who contacted Roger and verified all stated events.

The price for this historic artifact is $25k. If you feel it may have been subsequently used to hit home run 56 and perhaps 57 I will be more than happy to consult with my authenticating team for their thoughts.

If you have any concerns please prove me wrong.

[5kRunner]

Re: Lou Gehrig "gamer"

I emailed him too about the Bench bat. The guy talks in circles in his responses.

Check out the "game worn" Bill Dickey chest protector. It was displayed in the HOF you know.

I need to sell my dad's store model Mantle bat to this guy for a grand or so. - Just Kidding.

[MSpecht]

Re: Lou Gehrig "gamer"

Unfortunately I couldn't restrain myself and sent the seller this question, which he has not posted yet---

"Sir, you need to get your money back from the seller (if you bought it based on this ridiculous 'authentication') or from the 'authenticator' if you depended on his LOA. NOTHING about this bat suggests use by Lou Gehrig. There are many Gehrig order references in H & B records from Gehrig, INCLUDING from the 1924 ledger (which you say does not exist.) All DOCUMENTED orders and indexes are 35.5 inches or 36 inches between 1924 and 1930--nothing close to 34 inches --and all DOCUMENTED weights are between 36 oz and 40 oz through 1938---nothing even remotely close to this bat in weight (6-to-7 oz difference.) Also, the faulty analysis of the barrel labeling and side-writing is pure fantasy and laughable.I imagine now you will ask me "How can you prove that Gehrig never used this bat?" Well,I can't prove that Ty Cobb or Walter Johnson never used this bat either, but the bat is so totally uncharacteristic of Gehrig's DOCUMENTED records, that the liklihood of him ever using it is about zero.
To add to the errors in this auction, the bat in auction was not patterned after the bat that ultimately was assigned model number G76, as that bat was not patterned for Gehrig until 1927, after the manufacture date and return date of the bat in the auction. Plus,the bat that became the G76 was not the first bat patterned for Gehrig (as stated in your auction) as at least two bat models are DOCUMENTED as patterned for Gehrig at his request prior to the bat requested in 1927 (that was later assigned G76)---- those bats were patterned and indexed in 1925 and 1926. But, in actuality, none of the above information, which is totally inaccurately described in your auction, has any relevance to the bat in your auction as your bat has nothing to do with Gehrig or his H & B records or his bats."

Mike

[sayhey24]

Re: Lou Gehrig "gamer"

Mike --

But it has to be a Gehrig gamer -- it has ball marks on the right side of the barrel!!!

Greg

[Mark17]

Re: Lou Gehrig "gamer"

That's a Gehrig use characteristic!