Beware of this O'Neill bat on ebay

[bronx_burner]

This listing has been up a while and has not had any takers thankfully, but I just came upon it now. Here is the link, take a look at the photos in the listing, as I'm not posting them in the thread:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/220947706399

I used to own this bat back when it was a "legit" O'Neill rookie block letter bat. It still resembles that now but its been doctored several times.

The following photos are from when I owned it. It was autographed, had no number on the knob and showed good use.




The next group of 5 photos are from an ebay listing sometime after I sold it to Greg Walker, who used to go by Bird33Rose14 on these boards in the past. He altered the bat for some reason, removing the autograph, adding a number to the knob and creating fake markings as if tape had once been there and removed, in the form of O'Neill's later characteristic tape job.







You can read more about Mr Walker at:

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_f...ad.php?t=40058

and

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_f...ad.php?t=41741

Anyway, back to the current auction. The listing that Walker had made using the above photos was pulled shortly after it was uncovered. So I think its a safe assumption that the bat wound up with b-e-collectibles after he did some more alterations to the bat, removing the fake tape residue and knob number. Apparently he did a good enough job to get a letter issued for it from PSA/Taube.

I'm not faulting the authenticator or the seller as I'm sure they were just unfortunate victoms of Walker. Just wanted to post this up so that nobody here would wind up buying an altered bat because of the PSA letter.

[earlywynnfan]

I emailed B-E and they did the right thing and pulled it.

Ken

[WadeInBmore]

Great thread, great work. Way to go guys!

Wade

[ncbadges]

Absolutely pathetic. GREAT job of exposing it.

ncb

[joelsabi]

nice job. why would the person doctoring the bat want to remove the autograph?

[earlywynnfan]

The two items I have heard Greg owning are:

a rookie-era Paul O'Neill gamer he doctored to look like a later-years Paul O'Neill gamer, and

a beatiful 1975 Pete Rose jersey that he doctored to look like a beautiful 1976 Pete Rose jersey.


I can understand crook, I just don't get idiot.

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

[maverick14]

I'd much rather own a rookie gamer than a later years gamer.
Don't see the point behind doctoring it to appear later

[ldonley]

This makes me wonder how often restoration is missed. Not slamming anyone in particular, just makes me wonder what percentage of removing numbers off of knobs (and replacing with other numbers, etc) are missed by current detection methods, that's all...

[joelsabi]

Just wondering now if you are a Paul O'neill collector would you still consider this bat in your collection? It's probably bat from his first order of his bats but was altered then alteration (tape residue and ink) was removed.

[maverick14]

Just wondering now if you are a Paul O'neill collector would you still consider this bat in your collection? It's probably bat from his first order of his bats but was altered then alteration (tape residue and ink) was removed.

Absolutely not.
If the bat isn't how it came from the player it's lost its value and appeal, IMO.