Tony Gwynn All-Star bat

[Nnunnari]

Just curious what you guys thought about this Gwynn All-Star bat, especially the tape job on the handle? Does anybody have pics from this game?
Nick

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190136435755&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=009

[Nnunnari]

Re: Tony Gwynn All-Star bat

Thanks for all of the input guys.

[worldchamps]

Re: Tony Gwynn All-Star bat

Sure is a whole lot of use for 1 game???

This seller has been discussed on here before, you might want to do a search for his name.

[kylehess10]

Re: Tony Gwynn All-Star bat

Sure is a whole lot of use for 1 game???

This seller has been discussed on here before, you might want to do a search for his name.

The LOA from Authentic Gamers states that it was used during both the All Star Game AND the regular season. That would explain the heavy game use. The bat seems pretty legit, especially with the correct ball marks for the All Star Game and also the regular season baseballs.

[metsbats]

Re: Tony Gwynn All-Star bat

The bat is a legit Rawlings issued All Star game bat with the stampings on the barrell and the initials on the knob (model TG19 TG). It certaining looks like alot of use for 1 game and it does have red ball marks and the 87 All Star balls did have red stamped logos,etc.

One would have to wonder if the bat was used after the all-star game for a while as Gwynn was known to use LV sluggers exclusively during the season. Based on the usage there there should be plenty of photos of Gwynn with this bat during the latter half of the 87 season.

The tape is in a strange location to me. Gwynn didn't start taping his bats till later in his career (after recovering from a hand injury) and his tape jobs are near the knob of the bat and never in the middle.

David

[kylehess10]

Re: Tony Gwynn All-Star bat

The tape is in a strange location to me. Gwynn didn't start taping his bats till later in his career (after recovering from a hand injury) and his tape jobs are near the knob of the bat and never in the middle.

David

Do you think it could be from a crack and the tape is actually holding it together?

[metsbats]

Re: Tony Gwynn All-Star bat

Do you think it could be from a crack and the tape is actually holding it together?

You can see a crack (that may have been repair) near the ring. The listing does not indicate the bat is split and held together by the tape (but it could be). The tape does have a fair amount of tar which mean it was there for grip.

The location if it's there for grip is not the typical location for Gwynn to tape his bats nor is the era (87) the time he started using tape exclusively on this bats.

David

[Nnunnari]

Re: Tony Gwynn All-Star bat

Thanks for your thoughts guys, the tape doesn't look right to me, it's in an odd location and the tar on it indicates that it was there before the bat cracked. I thought that Gwnn mostly used L.S. in '87 & due to the amount of use one would think there would be pics of him swinging the bat. In all honesty it appears to be a bp bat. Does anybody know if they used red ink balls during bp in the all-star game? The writting on the knob doesn't look like a typical "19" by Gwynn either. I emailed Rob about the bat whom the bat was originally purchased from (I believe) and he has yet to respond.

Nick

[b.heagy]

Re: Tony Gwynn All-Star bat

I believe Rob is attending the national. May be tied up with things there. I am sure he will respond.

[kylehess10]

Re: Tony Gwynn All-Star bat

Well if you want to be sure with the authenticity then you can buy a DVD of the '87 All Star Game for $12 here:

http://store.rarelivedvd.com/19baallstgao.html

[RobSteinmetz]

Re: Tony Gwynn All-Star bat

Hi Guys.

Sorry for the delay in responding to this thread (and related emails)....I just returned home from the National. I owned that Gwynn bat several years ago, and had it signed by Gwynn at a Chicago Sun-Times Show. Gwynn took several minutes to examine the bat, and he recalled using the bat during both the All-Star Game and afterwards during the regular season (he commented that he cracked it during the regular season). Based on that information (and the fact that the bat has both red and black ball marks all over the barrel), I felt comfortable including that information in my letter. As for the tape job on the handle, Mike Specht and I discussed that briefly this weekend. His initial reaction was also that the tape job is atypical for Gwynn. When he returns from the National perhaps he'll also comment on this thread. I'll attempt to respond to other questions as they arise. Thanks for your patience.

Best,

Rob

[metsbats]

Re: Tony Gwynn All-Star bat

I think given the rarity of an All Star game bat I'd be willing to overlook the atypical tape job on this bat. If I saw this tape job on a regular gamer of Tony's i'd probably not bid in that particular situation.

I have a 2000 NLCS gamer of Mets pitcher Rick Reed which has a taped handle and all of the Reed gamers I've handled in the past did not have taped handles. Because of the rarity of a post season bat i purchased it anway.

This week I picked up a 2000 Mike Bordick WS gamer with a criss-cross taped handle and no number on the knob. I have a regular season 2000 Bordick with no tape and no. 17 on the knob.

My theory on why there is tape on these bats by the way is the cold October temperatures during NLCS and WS games. Perhaps to lessen the sting of a cold bat hitting a baseball in the 40 degree temps a player who traditionally would not tape his handles may do so in these situations.

David

[Nnunnari]

Re: Tony Gwynn All-Star bat

Rob, thanks for your time and info!

nick