Chicago Cubs Bob Will M66 Ls

[porsche544]

Can Someone Help Me Date This Bat (1957-63) ? .

[MSpecht]

Hi Gerald --

Without Will's factory records to pinpoint his ordering pattern for this model, here are a few ways to possibly narrow the date range a bit:

First, On H & B bats made , in this case, from 1957 to 1963, the words REG U.S. PAT. OFF. is one of two sizes:

1) if the words extend from beneath the letter O in LOUISVILLE to under the letter K in KY, the bat is likely from the years 1957 to 1960.

2) if the lettering is a smaller version, extending from beneath the letter U in LOUISVILLE and not quite reaching the letter K in KY. , it was likely manufactured between 1961 and 1963.

Second, if the bat appears to be from the 1957 to 1960 time frame, check out the word GENUINE above Bob Will's name on the barrel. There are small variations of the word GENUINE between 1950 and 1960. A more squared version of the word, where the last letter, E, is positioned almost directly above the letter U in SLUGGER is from the early=to-mid 1950s, perhaps extending to 1957. If tthe word GENUINE is less squared, and the letter E extends only to the space between the letters L and U in SLUGGER, the bat is from the end of the period -- 1958, 1959, or 1960. In general, the more squared the lettering in the word GENUINE , the earlier the manufacture of the bat.

Also, see if you are lucky enough to see a number or remnants of a number in vintage marker on the knob or end of the barrel. In 1957 (70 games) and 1958 (6 games) Bob wore Number 16 with the Cubs. He did not appear in any Major League games in 1959, then in 1960, 1961, 1962, and 1963 he wore uniform Number 28.

The above may help narrow the time frame a little, but this post would have been alot easier if Bob Will's H & B records were available.

Good Luck in future collecting.

Mike

[porsche544]

HI Mike,
Thank you for your time and sharing your knowledge. I am impressed with your knowledge on this subject.

Gerald