Bob Doerr Model H117

[clubhouse1]

Did Bob Doerr ever use a Model H&B H117?

[MSpecht]

The answer is yes .... and no.

A review of Bobby Doerr's H & B personal order records does not document any orders of H & B model H117 bats being shipped to Doerr. However, in 1938 it is documented that Doerr ordered a Rogers Hornsby model bat. Remember that this was the pre-model number era, so Hornsby's model (which subsequently became H & B model H117) was referred to in Hornsby's records at that time as "His Hornsby" as early as 1930. So, it is likely that Doerr's order in 1938 was for bats known as Hornsby's "His Hornsby" and which later became identified as H117 in the early 1940s.

Model numbers did not become common place on bats until the early 1940's, and the identification was completed by the mid-1940s. Therefore, there is no documentation to suggest that Doerr ever used a bat that had model number H117 stamped onto the knob, but there is documentation that Doerr used a Hornsby model bat in 1938 which became model H117 some 5 to 8 years later. Hornsby himself retired as a player before the advent of model numbers, but did use model H117 stamped bats during his post career era of 1948 - 1972.

Of historical interest is this memo below signed by John Hillerich which, unfortunately, is undated.

Mike jackitout7@aol.com