Edd Roush Records

[jboosted92]

Re: Edd Roush Records

I again agree with you, and I believe we are both pointing in the same direction....for many of these bats where manufacturer's factory records are not available, or, as in the case of H & B, factory records suggest less (much less) than widespread use of certain models, a collector must go to an individual player's personal game use characteristics, such as comparison of model, size, etc of known game used bats, tape and other preparation patterns, game use provenance, and the like. And, most importantly, the collector must educate himself to come to a rational and reasoned conclusion as to the probability that a specific bat was ever in a specific player's hands. As factory records become more and more available (and the holders of records become more and more willing to release them to the general collecting public), that task becomes much easier.

I can't begin to tell you how often I have had a bat in one hand, all existing factory records (comfortably 99% of the player's total records) in the other hand, and a Letter of Authenticity and worksheet in front of me and tried to reconcile the three to no avail. To see a bat receive a grade of say A7, which would translate , in the collecting public's mind, to a fairly high probability that the player had actually used the bat, and have it not even come close to matching a player's documented factory records, gives cause to wonder. How many of you would knowingly pay around of $7,000.00 for a post-war Hall of Famer's bat that was clearly a team index bat that, based on documented career ordering patterns, had less than a one percent chance of ever being used (or even seen) by the player himself? Some would have you believe that such a purchase demonstrates a growing acceptance of team index bats. Well. it also might be indicative of an uneducated buyer, a flawed grading process, and an auction house that is somewhat fanciful in item descriptions. If the buyer actually just wanted a bat with proper labeling that had the HOF'ers name on the end, but was used by some unknown Major or Minor League player (or batboy), I would suggest he'd be ahead of the game by finding a college bat that matched the player's factory records as being more representative of his actual game bats, and save about $6500.00 in the process.

Educate yourself, and if you are going to seek the assistance of an authenticator, when you ask them, "Why," don't accept an answer of, "Why not?'

Best of luck in future collecting. Thanks for all the thoughts that have been posted by everyone throughout this thread...it's been one of the real interesting ones.

Mike Jackitout7@aol.com

Mike,

Not to bring up an ol' topic. But I have been doing some research on the Kork Grip L.S. bats. They were patented (according to the bat) in Sept. 1914. which would put there first labeling period 1911-16 )(14-16..what-have-you). I have seen store model signature 40ks for 1917-21 and 21-31. but not for the 11-16 label period.

Has anyone else seen a 1911-16 40k sig model STORE MODEL?

I have search and searched to no avail. from what I have heard its only been seen in the post 1916 catalogs...

I ask, thinking that possibly the early sig 40k's were available to the pro's only. Possibly due it being the highest quality wood they offerend... and its price.