Big Red Machine - historical piece pickup

[gorilla777]

1976 Johnny Bench World Series GU bat:

As a Big Red Machine collector and as a Johnny Bench collector, I was both lucky and surprised to be able to acquire this bat.

It was used in the 1976 World Series until Game 3, with likelihood of the slight crack happening in the last at bat of that game, from what I have found. Bench had 6 of his 8 hits up until that point, including a double and triple, ending up at .533 for the Series and getting the MVP award.
In looking at the heavy use, pine tar build up, it was a bat used for some time. I am trying to backtrack and place it to Game 3 of the NLCS when he hit the game tying home run in the bottom of the 9th, but only have a grainy picture that just matches up the pine tar application. It is hard to believe how few good pictures exist on Series just from the 70s.
It has the Reds 580 Gift Shop tape on it, with date marked. Also came with a signed letter tracing the provenance from the original owner who used to get a call from the lady in the Reds 580 gift shop with a heads up on new items before they were made available. This was his big score.
I am thinking of putting this '76 World Series full ticket in a display with the bat somehow.
This Reds team was the last great one before the free agency period began a year later.

Ben

[sox83cubs84]

Giggity-giggity-giggity!

Dave Miedema

[HawaiiSportsNut]

Awesome pickup.

[jbsportstuff]

That bat would look awesome in the Johnny Bench display at the Reds Hall of Fame. They have a bi-centennial bat, but not one with this use and historical significance.

SWEEET BAT. I've been DYING to buy a early to mid 70's Bench bat for a long time. I never seem to find one that has everything like this one. Great bat.

[chakes89]

Awesome Piece

Thanks for sharing!

[5toolplayer]

WOW, just an amazing bat and great piece of Reds Memorabilia! Congrats on the pick up

[Manram]

Sweet bat man. I don't understand how you get all this stuff

[gorilla777]

Sweet bat man. I don't understand how you get all this stuff

Extorsion and blackmail mostly....

[sox83cubs84]

Extorsion and blackmail mostly....

I thought the response would be "I'd tell you...but then I'd have to kill you"

Dave Miedema

[Manram]

Extorsion and blackmail mostly....

Really???????? You bad person . Hahahaha