Question "HEAD" written on bat knob?

[mariner_gamers]

In 1996 I bought a Buhner and an Edgar Martinez bat at the Kingdome. Both bats had HEAD written on the knob. It was right at the beginning of my collecting so I was unaware of what I was buying. By the late 1990's I had traded both of the bats. To this day I would still like to know who used those bats. Both had a lot of tar with no tape. Anyhow if anyone knows which player wrote HEAD on the knob of their bats during their career I would appreciate a heads up!

[Swoboda4]

Wasn't Buhner's nickname Bonehead?

[mariner_gamers]

Wasn't Buhner's nickname Bonehead?

Thanks for the reply!

Yes, Bonehead was his full nickname and initially that is what I was hoping it designated. I could not find anything at the time to tie HEAD to Buhner other than his nickname. Since then I have seen 50+ Buhner gamers and none have HEAD on them. Also no helmets, cleats, hats, gloves, jerseys etc. I even own a Fungo he used and it has his classic tape job and BONE written on it.

Perhaps it designated BP bats for Buhner but I have nothing concrete to tie it to him. I watched him take BP many times and all his bats were taped on the knob. It could be one of those weird things Jay was dinking around with at the time?? The other problem is I have no way of knowing if a Mariner used it. Someone may have borrowed a couple from the M's during a series. All I know is it was purchased after the trade deadline in 1996 and was purchased from the Kingdome. I know the Buhner had a 1996 date on the knob but that's it.

[012562]

I have a few bats from Dave Hollins that are from the Angels and Twins, and those have HEAD written on the knob.

Interestingly, I also have a Louisville Slugger signature model of former Angels and Reds outfielder Dave Collins that is from the late 1990's that has a team name under the signature printed on the bat. It has the same HEAD written on the knob. I believe that Dave Hollins bats must have been ordered and there was a manufacturing error at Hillerich & Bradsby where the production folks added the wrong name to the bat when they set up the stamping.

Any chance that Hollins borrowed some bats from Buhner and Martinez and they somehow ended up back with the Mariners?

Tom Duino

[MarinersFan34]

Dave Hollins was a Mariner in 1996, we got him in August and he was the great player we got when we traded David Ortiz to the Twins.

Jay was using the "Bone" nickname before he was a Mariner and I've only seen "Bone" on the ends. Was it in the same style writing?

[mariner_gamers]

I have a few bats from Dave Hollins that are from the Angels and Twins, and those have HEAD written on the knob.

Interestingly, I also have a Louisville Slugger signature model of former Angels and Reds outfielder Dave Collins that is from the late 1990's that has a team name under the signature printed on the bat. It has the same HEAD written on the knob. I believe that Dave Hollins bats must have been ordered and there was a manufacturing error at Hillerich & Bradsby where the production folks added the wrong name to the bat when they set up the stamping.

Any chance that Hollins borrowed some bats from Buhner and Martinez and they somehow ended up back with the Mariners?

Tom Duino

Awesome!! That is exactly what I was looking for! Hollins was another suspect having been acquired quickly in 1996 and put into action immediately.

Here is the irony of this darn hobby. Hollins is one of 84 I need to complete my run of Mariners bats. I had 2 and now have zero...HAHAHA!! Gotta love it!

Thanks again everyone!!

[suave1477]

Its interesting that he would put "HEAD" as he was more referred to as "BONE" short for Bonehead

Baseball reference has his nicknamed listed as "Bone"

I read a couple of articles and they said tey would call Buhner "Bone" which as I mentioned previously above that, that would be short for Bonehead.

Interesting he would write HEAD instead of BONE

Here is an article from SI
That player was the man they call Bone, a nickname that has nothing to do with his current coiffure. It is, in fact, a nickname for a nickname. "It's short for Bonehead," says David Buhner, Jay's father. "When he was in high school, he lost a fly ball in the lights, and it hit him square on the skull. The coach ran out to see if he was O.K., and Jay was fine. The coach said, 'It's a good thing you've got a bony head.' Ever since then, he's been Bonehead."