1926 Cardinals bats

[Birdbats]

A little more than a year ago, I bought a 1926 Cardinals home jersey and an alleged game-used bat from the family of Ray Blades. The bat has no markings at all -- consistent with the few photos I've seen of Blades holding a bat -- and is similar to H&B's Hornsby style. Then last month, I was offered a Taylor Douthit bat in exchange for a Bob Gibson item I owned. I made the trade because I'm a sucker for old bats, but after I put it on the wall with the Blades bat, I started thinking, "Huh... I have the left fielder and center fielder for the Cardinals 1926 world champs (the team's first title)."

I recalled I had a couple buddies who owned a Billy Southworth (right fielder) and a Les Bell (3B), so I contacted them and, within the past couple of weeks, they generously worked out trades with me. Then I found a bat online with a 1925-28 center brand and the initials F.R. on the barrel. After a couple hours of research, I determined the only MLB player with those initials between 1914 and 1932 was Flint Rhem, the '26 team's only 20-game winner. I grabbed it with a fair degree of confidence that this Hornsby-style, non-contract bat may have been used by the young pitcher.

I guess it's now official -- I'm building a 1926 team set.

So, I'm in search of Hornsby (2B), Bottomley (1B), Bob O'Farrell (C) and Tommy Thevenow (SS) to round out my starting nine. If available, I'd also be interested in other position players (Chick Hafey, Heinie Mueller, Wattie Holm, Specs Toporcer) and pitchers (Pop Haines, Pete Alexander, Bill Sherdel, Vic Keen, Art Reinhart). Given the costs of legit Hornsby and Bottomley bats, I might consider nice pre-Powerized retail bats as placeholders until I can find (and afford) the real things.

I know this quest is going to get much tougher and more expensive, but there's no turning back now. So, if you have leads on any of the bats I need for the team set, I'd appreciate hearing from you -- birdbats@charter.com. Thanks!

[BTW, Freigau and McHenry were gone before '26; I'm just displaying their bats with the '26 guys, for now.]

[STLCardinalscollector]

AWESOME JEFF !!!!!

Good luck finding the other bats.

David


Always looking for Cardinals Game Used and artifacts.

[brianborsch]

Love it!!!

[yanks12025]

A little more than a year ago, I bought a 1926 Cardinals home jersey and an alleged game-used bat from the family of Ray Blades. The bat has no markings at all -- consistent with the few photos I've seen of Blades holding a bat -- and is similar to H&B's Hornsby style. Then last month, I was offered a Taylor Douthit bat in exchange for a Bob Gibson item I owned. I made the trade because I'm a sucker for old bats, but after I put it on the wall with the Blades bat, I started thinking, "Huh... I have the left fielder and center fielder for the Cardinals 1926 world champs (the team's first title)."

I recalled I had a couple buddies who owned a Billy Southworth (right fielder) and a Les Bell (3B), so I contacted them and, within the past couple of weeks, they generously worked out trades with me. Then I found a bat online with a 1925-28 center brand and the initials F.R. on the barrel. After a couple hours of research, I determined the only MLB player with those initials between 1914 and 1932 was Flint Rhem, the '26 team's only 20-game winner. I grabbed it with a fair degree of confidence that this Hornsby-style, non-contract bat may have been used by the young pitcher.

I guess it's now official -- I'm building a 1926 team set.

So, I'm in search of Hornsby (2B), Bottomley (1B), Bob O'Farrell (C) and Tommy Thevenow (SS) to round out my starting nine. If available, I'd also be interested in other position players (Chick Hafey, Heinie Mueller, Wattie Holm, Specs Toporcer) and pitchers (Pop Haines, Pete Alexander, Bill Sherdel, Vic Keen, Art Reinhart). Given the costs of legit Hornsby and Bottomley bats, I might consider nice pre-Powerized retail bats as placeholders until I can find (and afford) the real things.

I know this quest is going to get much tougher and more expensive, but there's no turning back now. So, if you have leads on any of the bats I need for the team set, I'd appreciate hearing from you -- birdbats@charter.com. Thanks!

[BTW, Freigau and McHenry were gone before '26; I'm just displaying their bats with the '26 guys, for now.]

Not to be negative but a bat with just initials could be a minor leaguer or just a regular person, doesn't always mean major leaguer. But there was a Hornsby sold last year with just R H. But there's photos of him holding bats with his initials.

[Birdbats]

Not to be negative but a bat with just initials could be a minor leaguer or just a regular person, doesn't always mean major leaguer. But there was a Hornsby sold last year with just R H. But there's photos of him holding bats with his initials.

Certainly considered that. The bat is side written, but only the date (7/14/28) is clearly readable. There were seven minor leaguers I could find with those initials in 1928. Most of those guys played at very low levels, and only three of the seven had more career minor league ABs than Rhem -- a pitcher -- had major league ABs by mid '28. Given that -- plus the fact it's a Hornsby style and the Cards were known to order bats with initials (as you point out with the Hornsby) -- I feel good about the probability. I'd like to confirm with H&B, assuming they have Rhem's PBOR, but so far, nobody has returned my calls. Still more research to be done.

[Birdbats]

Just realized my email address is wrong in my original post. It's not dot.com, it's dot.net -- birdbats@charter.net. So, if you emailed me with a lead on that elusive Tommy Thevenow bat, please try again.

[Masimen]

Hey Jeff, Thats awesome. I look forward to seeing the what you are able to chase down.

[xsentrixsupra]

Major props to you! The level of research you've done and dedication is a lot more than I'd be willing to put, I can say I'm pretty impressed so what are you gonna do next after you get all your bats? Move on to 1927?

[gorilla777]

Great bats; that's real vintage and something we don't see enough of here anymore. You've probably created a monster now but the chase should be both fun and a challenge.

[Birdbats]

So what are you gonna do next after you get all your bats? Move on to 1927?

I'm still working on a 1967 Cardinals set. Know where I can find a nice Maris or Flood?

If I ever complete the '26 quest, I think a '42 Cardinals set might be next on my list. I already have a rookie-era Musial, so the toughest bat is already on the wall. Have a feeling it will be a long time before I get serious about a '42 set, though.