Question for McGwire experts!

[STLHAMMER32]

I was wondering if anyone could help me out on an issue ive come across a few times lately as I am looking to purchase a McGwire gamer...

Ive seen a couple of Mcgwire bats with only MAC 25 on the knob. They have been Cardinals bats and it is my understanding bats were ordered following the 98 season and just had the model placed on the knob without a batch code. Did McGwire ever use these? Or were they most likely past out as gifts as I am sure he got plenty of requests and probably was pretty thinned out by the end of the year. Any stories or background on this would be really appreciated!

[Birdbats]

I asked Bill Steele at Rawlings about this when I interviewed him for my McGwire bat buyer's guide: http://webpages.charter.net/birdbats...rs%20guide.htm

Bill acknowledged that Rawlings made bats for McGwire in 1998 after the season ended, but those bats are stamped with the MAC 25 model number only. They do not have batch numbers or year codes on the knob. I think it's safe to assume these bats were not intended for use and likely were not swung by Mac. Not sure how they were used, though. You'd think if they were gifts that Mac would have signed them before giving them away.

[STLHAMMER32]

Thanks for the response Jeff. I am very confused by this....I know Mark would usually sign bats he gave as gifts... and it seems very plausible that he would order these after season for the sole purpose of giving them away...I know players and friends most often asked for a game bat. Now seeing one without pine tar and some use seems odd but I have seen photos of him coming out of the batting cage with a bat with zero pine tar...I am going to assume some of these bats were used during off season hitting sessions I guess. I wonder how many bats were taken when someone would see one of his bats...there had to have been plenty.