Kevin Mitchell Bat -- Gamer or Store bought?

[zfowl]

Hi. I have a Rawlings Kevin Mitchell bat that I was going to list on eBay, but the codes and label have me thinking it may be a store bought bat.

The model code is 471X, and it is 36 inches in length. It has a "born date" stamp of 97. I'll try to attach a photo of the label below, but in case I mess it up, it shows the Rawlings R in an oval circle with openings at the top and bottom. Photos I've found so far show the oval as unbroken.

The bat has all the hallmarks of a gamer from lace impressions and ball ink marks to pine tar and rack marks, but I suppose all that could be from some other source.

Please let me know if the prevailing opinion is Mitchell gamer or store bought.

Thanks,

Zeb

[Yankwood]

The model number is good. Looks good to me.

[BULBUS]

can you post a picture of the knob end of the bat? if it has the model #, batch code, and the year stamped, then it is a gamer. these numbers are not stamped into store model bats. was kevin mitchell still in baseball in 97?

[suave1477]

Kevin Mitchell was in baseball in 1997 he played with the cleveland indians for 20 games. His career ended in 1998 with the Oakland Athletics playing 51 games.

[zfowl]

Thanks for the input! I was most worried about the label as both the MastroNet Guide and the Birdbats Website don't show this style. Also, the knob code ending in X (see below) was not addressed.

Anyway, looks like the opinion at this time is that it's the real deal, so I will go ahead and list it Sunday evening.

Thanks!

Zeb

[BULBUS]

yup, thats the real deal.

[Birdbats]

Your bat looks good. I've heard that trademark logo apparently was used for a time in 1997 -- I don't have any samples to show on my site and never have had any conclusive examples to help me write a description. But a store bat would not have the knob stamp your bat does. That "X" shows up on 36" bats -- "A" and "B" are used on 34" and 35" bats, "S" is used on shorter bats. I've seen "H" on short bats, too.

Jeff
http://www.birdbats.com

[Spiezio23]

Just to add to it, I have a 1997 Paul Sorrento bat that's black and has the white broken "R" logo on the barrel.

-Jeremy