Boggs bat question

[jello7654]

Hello ,
First thank you all for the great work that is done here for the collecting community. I recently purchased a B349 86-89 Wade Boggs model bat with a length of 34 inches , uncupped and with light pine tar near center label and ball mark on right side of name label with a few other ball marks on the other side . The 125 is not underlined . The bat has a few rack marks black in color as well as one near the tip of the bat more greenish in color . The bat has a Steiner hologram on it with cert number as well as another Steiner Yankees hologram. This bat is puzzling to me for one main reason. The number on the knob is not that of Boggs but is a perfect match for the handwriting style of Tino Martinez's 24 . I have looked at a variety of his bats and the writing matches up very well to me. I also have seen and read of other bats that were used by Tino that were Boggs model bats. My question is , is this what I have here ? Thank you all for your help .

[bat_master]

You have a Boggs bat used by Tino Martinez. Likely from 1996-97, although many Boggs bats I've seen from 1997 were block letter instead of signature model so it could be 1996 specific.

However, I just noticed that it doesn't have New York Yankees below the name. That's puzzling.

[metsbats]

Being an 86-89 era Boggs pro model means that Boggs kept a supply of these 10 years later which is certainly highly plausible. I posted a photo of Gary Carter in the thread of players wearing or using styles of equipment from earlier eras of Gary holding an 87-89 era Rawlings bat in 1992.

As Tim pointed out it's Tino's handwritten number 24 however he may have intended to use it but may not have in a game. I say this because the bat is missing tape on the handle which is typically seen on Tino bats. Yankee Tino collectors other than game issued would there be any used Tino bats without his tape job?

[jello7654]

Thank you all so far , as far as Tino not using tape , I am def. no expert but just looking at some google images I see photos of him batting without the tape wrap I also see a few bats ( psa/dna cert ) for sale without the tape as well .

[gorilla777]

Tino used bats with and without tape, but far more without. The ones with tape that I have are earlier, '96 specific, but even in that year I have a regular season and an ALCS used bat with tape, WS used with no tape.
From then on, it seemed the use of pine tar increased and criss-cross tape left. And that 24 is spot on, written by Martinez.

[metsbats]

Here's another one.

http://www.100percentauthentic.com/Certificates/Details/1996-Tino-MartinezWade-Boggs-Game-Used-World-Series-Champion-NY-Yankees-Bat-34226/34226

[metsbats]

Tino used bats with and without tape, but far more without. The ones with tape that I have are earlier, '96 specific, but even in that year I have a regular season and an ALCS used bat with tape, WS used with no tape.
From then on, it seemed the use of pine tar increased and criss-cross tape left. And that 24 is spot on, written by Martinez.


Thanks Ben! This why I am metsbats and not yanksbats :)