There's an alleged Ozzie Smith bat that showed up on eBay Wednesday evening. I e-mailed the seller to explain the problems with the bat, but it's been 48 hours and I've had no response -- and the bat is still listed. So, I'm posting a warning to the community.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ozzie-Smith-game...QQcmdZViewItem

Here are the problems with the 1986-89 bat on eBay:
  • It's a non-contract model (block letter SMITH); Ozzie had a contract long before 1986.
  • It's a C300 model; Ozzie never ordered a hickory (brown) C300, and his last order of C300 bats was on 3/23/84 (Walker finish). The C300 bats he received before that last order were all flame finished.
The tape job and the "Wiz" on the knob also are unusual, but not entirely out of the question.

This almost certainly is a bat made for and used by some other Smith, but with a doctored knob to make it appear to be Ozzie's bat.

Jeff
http://www.birdbats.com