http://www.americanmemorabilia.com/A...uction_ID=9281

griffey's first year in the majors was 1989. in 1990, LVS had no text below the player name on the barrel. in 1991, they began putting the team name. the bat is said to be authenticated by bushing/SCDA and to be from 1986-1989. i assume that's because it has "louisville slugger" under the player name. given all of these factors, this bat could only be from 1989 then.

brian hillerich told me that griffey's "first autograph [signature model] order from us came to him in April of 1991." furthermore, here's a shot, from mearsonline.com, showing griffey in what must be 1989 using a block letter model:



this jives with the fact that brian told me griffey's first signature model came in 1991 which means he must've been using block letter models in 1990 and 1989.

all of that said, what is the AMI bat then? it's a signature model on a 1986-89 style bat? that doesn't jive with the facts presented above.

rudy.