Mike Specht Bat Evaluation Offer for GUU Members

[ChrisCavalier]

As many of you know, Mike Specht is the person who has handled the bat evaluations for GUU auctions and someone who has assisted numerous GUU members in their attempts to determine whether or not bats were actually used by players. Those who have dealt with Mike know that he operates with the highest level of integrity and is among the best in trying to help collectors understand how to interpret data and make well-reasoned conclusions regarding the likelihood of a bat being used by the player whose name appears on a bat.

Now, GUU members will have the opportunity to have Mike help them in a very real and tangible way through a promotion he is running for Game Used Universe members. If you are looking to make sure that the bat that you are considering for your collection was manufactured for the player you are collecting, this is the service for you. Here's an explanation of the service as explained by Mike:

If you are a collector of professional model Major League game used baseball bats, here is the opportunity you have been waiting for. Now, for the first time, Mike Specht, the person who handles the bat evaluations for Game Used Universe, is offering confirmation of your favorite player’s Personal Bat Ordering Record as filed with the Hillerich & Bradsby Company, manufacturers of Louisville Slugger baseball bats.

When collecting game used sports memorabilia, iron-clad authentication is the key. With professional model game used bats, the first step -- and by far the most important step -- is to make sure that the bat that you are considering for your collection was, in fact, manufactured for the player you are collecting. With this unique service, you will receive a Letter of Certification that not only documents that the bat was manufactured for the personal professional use of a specific player, but also will document the specific date(s) that bats meeting those exact specifications were shipped to that player, and the production run.

Why is this information important?

First, the documented order guarantees that a bat is an authentic professional model bat, and that it was manufactured for a specific player. If the bat does not appear in the player’s records, there is a great likelihood that the bat is either 1) a team index bat (manufactured for the use of any player in a team’s organization –- Major League or Minor League, or 2) a promotional bat never offered for professional use.

Second, the documentation may be able to determine a single specific order when the bat was sent to the player. That information may have a dramatic effect on the value of the bat. Recent certifications have uncovered a Norm Cash gamer manufactured and used during the Tigers' 1968 World Championship season, and a Tony Gwynn bat used specifically in 1984, the Padres first N.L. Championship and Tony's first of eight N.L. batting titles. Premium values? You bet!!!

The cost of this certification service is only $22.50 delivered. To use this service, send the following information for each individual bat to Jackitout7@aol.com:

1) H & B Labeling Period;
2) Name of Player;
3) Model Number;
4) Length;
5) Weight; and
6) Finish.

If you are unsure of any of those features, you may send pictures of the bat as well. If the bat is documented in H & B factory records and eligible for certification, you will be notified to make payment via PayPal and your certification will be sent.

Additional certification and authentication services include the complete charted H & B ordering records for any player listed below (format as seen in Vince Malta's recent book) and complete game used professional model bat authentication. Contact via email (address above) for additional information on those services.

The complete post-1946 career records of the following Major League baseball players are available for this service except as noted:

A Hank Aaron, Tommie Aaron, J. Adcock, D. Allen, B. Allison, F. Alou, Matty Alou, J. Alou, S. Amoros, R. Alomar (1985-89 only), L. Aparicio, L. Appling, R. Ashburn, B. Avila
B J. Bagwell (1993-97 only), Dusty Baker, F. Baker, S. Bando, E. Banks, H. Bauer, D. Baylor, G. Beckert, M. Belanger, A. Belle, J. Bench, Y. Berra, C. Biggio (1990-96 only), P. Blair, R. Blomberg, W. Boggs, Barry Bonds (1985-97 only), Bobby Bonds, L. Boudreau, C. Boyer, K. Boyer, G. Brett , L. Brock, B. Buckner
C J. Callison, D. Camilli, R. Campanella, B. Campaneris, J. Canseco (1985-96 only), B. Carbo, J. Cardenal, R. Carew, A. Carey, S. Carlton, R. Carty, N. Cash, P. Carvaretta, C. Cedeno, O. Cepeda, B. Cerv, C, Chambliss, Jack Clark, Will Clark, H, Clarke, R. Clemente, D. Clendenon, Joe Collins, N. Colbert, R. Colavito, V. Coleman (1983-98 only), T. Conigliaro, W. Covington, D. Crandell, J. Cronin, F. Crosetti, G. Crowe
D A. Dark, T. Davis, W, Davis, A. Dawson, B. Dickey, D. DiMaggio, J. DiMaggio, V, DiMaggio, L. Doby, B. Doerr, D. Driessen
E L. Easter, Darrell Evans, Dwight Evans
F R. Farrell, C. Fielder (1984-97 only), C. Fisk, C. Flood, W. Ford, G. Foster, N. Fox, B. Freehan, C. Furillo
G O. Gamble, S. Garvey, J. Gentile, C. Geronimo, B. Gibson, J. Gilliam, B. Goodman, J. Gonzalez (1987-97 only), J. Gordon, H. Greenberg, B. Grich, K. Griffey Jr., K. Griffey Sr., D. Groat, J. Grote, T. Gwynn
H B. Harrelson, B. Harris, G. Hartnett, R. Hebner, H. Heilmann, T. Heinrich, M. Hegan, T. Helmes, R. Henderson (1982-96 only), G. Hendrick, B. Herman, K. Hernandez, J. Hickman, G. Hodges, T. Holmes, H. Hooper, R. Hornsby, W. Horton, R. Houk, Elston Howard, Frank Howard
I M. Irvin
J Reggie Jackson, J. Jensen, Deron Johnson, A. Jones (1996-97 only), Chipper Jones (1995-97 only), Cleon Jones, M. Jordan, M. Jorgensen
K A. Kaline, G. Kell, D. Kessinger, H. Killebrew, R. Kiner, D. Kingman, T. Kluszewski, C. Knoblaugh, J. Koosman, E. Kranpool, T. Kubek, H. Kuenn
L T. Landrum, M. Lavalliere, J. Lindemann, F. Lindstrom, W. Lockman, J. Logan, D. Long, D. Lopes, Al Lopez, Hector Lopez, F. Lynn, G. Luzinski
M B. Madlock, M. Mantle, R. Maris, B. Martin, P. Martin, D. Mattingly, E. Mathews, W. Mays, B. Mazeroski, D. Medwick, B. Melton, M. Minoso, J. Mize, P. Molitor, R. Monday, W. Montanez, J. Morgan, M. Mota, T. Munson, Dale Murphy (1973-81 only), E. Murray, S. Musial
Mc T. McCarver, W. McCovey, G. McDougal, W. McGee, M. McGwire (1984-88 only)
N G. Nettles
O K. Oberkfell, T. Oliva, A. Oliver, P. O’Neill, M. Ott
P T. Pagnozzi, D. Parker, Wes Parker, T. Pena, T. Pendleton, J. Pepitone, T. Perez, R. Petrocelli, D. Porter, J. Piersall, L. Piniella, V. Pinson, Boog Powell, K. Puckett
R W. Randolph, Pee Wee Reese, K. Reitz, E. Renteria (1996-2005 only), D. Rice, J. Rice, B. Richardson, C. Ripken Jr., P. Rizzuto, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Jackie Robinson, P. Rose, J. Rudi, P. Runnells
S R. Sandberg, R. Sanders (1991-2005 only), M. Sanguillen, R. Santo, M. Schmidt, Red Schoendienst, G. Scott, T. Seaver, A. Shamsky, R. Sievers, T. Simmons, T. Sizemore, E. Slaughter, Lonnie Smith, Ozzie Smith, D. Snider, T. Speaker, J. Spencer, M. Stanley, W. Stargell, R. Staub, V. Stephens, D. Stuart, R. Swoboda
T G. Templeton, G. Tenace, B. Thomson, E. Torgeson, J. Torre, C. Tovar, A. Trammell, T. Tresh, G. Triandos
V A. Van Slyke, A. Vaughn, M. Vernon, J. Vuckovich
W H. Walker, L. Walker ((1986-2005 only), , P. Ward, B. Watson, V. Wertz, Bill White, Roy White, Billy Williams, Ted Williams, M. Wills, T. Womack (1993-2004 only), T. Worrell ((1985-97 only), J. Wynn
Y C. Yastrzemski, E. Yost, R. Yount
Z G. Zeber

Again, we feel Mike is one of the best in the business at helping determine the probability of whether or not bats were actually used by players and we hope GUU members will find this service beneficial to them. . Please note that Mike is not a representative or employee of Hillerich & Bradsby / Louisville Slugger and that company bears no responsibility or liability for the research completed by him.

Sincerely,
Chris

[ChrisCavalier]

Here is a sample of the type of document you will receive from Mike regarding this service:

BATS

PROFESSIONAL HILLERICH & BRADSBY AND ADIRONDACK 1950-1994

Off The Fence Publishing San Francisco CA

This letter certifies that professional model Louisville Slugger baseball bats, with the following specifications, were manufactured by the Hillerich & Bradsby Company for the personal professional use of former Major League baseball player Vada Pinson. These bats are documented as having been ordered by, and shipped to, Pinson in his H & B Personal Bat Ordering Record as follows:

Label Period: 1950 - 1960

Model: H174

Length: 35 inches

Weight: 32 and 32 ounces

Finish: Natural

Shipping Date(s) Within Label Period:

(3)/26/1959 (12 bats)
5/6/1959 (2 bats)


Notes: Model H174 Louisville Slugger bats were first made to Vada Pinson’s specifications in early 1959 by combining a model K55 barrel with a model S2 handle. After receiving a total of fourteen H174 bats as noted above, Pinson never ordered that model again during his twenty year career. This is a very rare, rookie era, Pinson model, with use dated specifically to 1959.


Michael Specht
Co-Author, BATS
Professional Bat Authentications

[R.Mansfield]

I have very recently used this service through Mike and cannot say enough good things about him and the top notch work completed for me.

He was able to give me a lot of valuable information on a couple of bats that I own, as well as a very professional detailed chart for the same player's bat ordering records. All of this was completed for what I feel was a very fair price.

If I were to resell these bats, I believe these evaluations are well worth the cost, giving buyers an extra layer of confidence in what they are buying.

Mike's service is second to none and he actually completed this work in a very timely manner, ahead of schedule.

Russell Mansfield
batdna@sbcglobal.net

[Neal]

I too have recently used Miike's services - very affordable and certainly worthwhile for resale and customer piece of mind

[emann]

I'd also give an enthusiastic thumbs-up for the service Mike provides... Great info to have on paper for your collection and at a very fair price.

Mike is also one of the nicest and most helpful people I've dealt with in this hobby and always willing to help on a purchase. His bat knowledge runs pretty deep and that is evident the first time you deal with him.

Best,
-John

[Marichal27]

Mike is the man, but there used to be be a web site, www.batreference.com
Apparently it is not on the web anymore. I have used this just to see what certain players used certain bats. Anuone else run into this? Also wondering if there is another on-line reference bat site. Thanks!

[maccamania]

I use Mike's services on a regular basis, Mike is terrific and one of this hobbys true gentleman.