Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

[3arod13]

Re: Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

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Andrew, this picture shows the bat weighs 2 lbs. 3/4 oz. I weight it on a few other scales, and weighed about the same. I guess with each different type scale, weight can be different.

[3arod13]

Re: Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

Tony, I found this picture in an old post and thought it may help for Brian to see a picture of the bat.

Also, Tony how did you weigh the bat?

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Andrew, I'm going to FEDEX today to have the bat weighed again.

[3arod13]

Re: Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

Andrew, thanks for all the emails and info going back and forth trying to
pinpoint this down. Sharing info is great, and I love researching stuff.

In summary:

BMH: The information of when he hit it (18 April 1996) and the fact it's an
autograph bat means it was either:

* 1 of the 24 34/31 C271's sent to him in Spring Training, or;
* 1 of the 12 34/32 C271's sent to him in Spring Training of 1996.

ROBITANO: Can you tell from the orders if it is for the smith finish or not? I
have a 34 inch smith finish Arod from 95-97 labeling. I think Tony's bat is not
the smith finish variety if that could pinpoint the order.

BMH: They are regular black finish. Arod didn't start using Smith finish until
later.

BMH: Smith finish is what most players call "double dipped". Our Smith finish is
a grain filling process. If you can see the grain clearly from the handle to the
end of the barrel then it's not a Smith finish bat. If you can't see the grain
in the barrel then it is a Smith finish bat. Arod's first order for Smith finish
was in December of 1996.

BMH: If it weighs 32.75, I will say it is most likely from the 3/29/96 order of
12 bats that weighed 32oz. Bat weight can fluctuate over time due to temp and
humidity. Like you said, if it has pine tar on it then it did add some weight. I
can't rule the bat out from being one of the 24 from January or February, but
when a bat does change weight it usually loses weight and does not gain unless
it's kept in a damp area.

TONY: The 32 3/4 oz. the bat weighed on the scale I bought yesterday, may not be
so exact, so it could be off slightly. I have to agree that this bat is most
likely from the 3/29/96 order of 12 bats that weighed 32oz. I can't believe if a
bat weighed 31 oz. in 1996, it wouldn't weigh 32 3/4 oz. 14 years later. But a
bat that weighed 32 oz. in 1996, then weighed 32 3/4 oz. 14 years later, makes
more sense. It's also nice to know that Arod didn't use signature bats until
1996, and that he didn't use Smith finish bats until December 1996.

[3arod13]

Re: Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

Tony, I emailed you one idea that may work. Do you own any newer bats that have the weight stamped into the bat? If you have owned the bat for a while, it would be interesting to see how that bat weighs to see if it weighs heavier than the weight stamped on the bat.

Since you live near Virginia Beach with a high water table, I can imagine it is a high moisture area.

Agree. Don't have a bat with a weight stamp on it. Great idea however.

And considering it is just slightly over 32 oz. by only 3/4 of an oz., it makes me believe it's from the (12) 32 oz. bats ordered on 29 April 1996.

Going from 31 oz. to 32 3/4 oz. is a pretty signifiant increase I would think.

[allstarsplus]

Re: Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

BMH, did ARod use 33 oz. bats from the prior year (1995)? Maybe that's a possibility? I just don't know if it's possible Arod would carrry a bat over to the next year.

Narrowing this down will help alot. I weighed the bat on 4 different scales yesterday, and all read the same: 2 lbs; 3/4 oz., so I believe it's pretty accurate.

I believe the bat is most likely from the 3/29/96 order of 12 bats that weighed 32oz.

Tony, I emailed you one idea that may work. Do you own any newer bats that have the weight stamped into the bat? If you have owned the bat for a while, it would be interesting to see how that bat weighs to see if it weighs heavier than the weight stamped on the bat.

Since you live near Virginia Beach with a high water table, I can imagine it is a high moisture area.

[3arod13]

Re: Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif']BMH, did ARod use 33 oz. bats from the prior year (1995)? Maybe that's a possibility? I just don't know if it's possible Arod would carrry a bat over to the next year. [/FONT]
[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif'][/FONT]
[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif']Narrowing this down will help alot. I weighed the bat on 4 different scales yesterday, and all read the same: 2 lbs; 3/4 oz., so I believe it's pretty accurate.[/FONT]
[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif'][/FONT]
[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif']I believe the bat is most likely from the 3/29/96 order of 12 bats that weighed 32oz. [/FONT]
[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif'][/FONT]
[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif'][/FONT][FONT='Calibri','sans-serif']
[/FONT]

[allstarsplus]

Re: Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

[3arod13]

Re: Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

If it weighs 32.75 I will say it is most likely from the 3/29/96 order of 12 bats that weighed 32oz. Bat weight can fluctuate over time due to temp and humidity. Like you said, if it has pine tar on it then it did add some weight.

I can't rule the bat out from being one of the 24 from January or February but when a bat does change weight it usually loses weight and does not gain unless its kept in a damp area.

BMH,

Thanks! The scale I used may not be a good one for measuring bats. I emailed a picture of the bat on the scale and asked Andrew if he wouldn't mind posting it for me.

I'm not sure if it's an accurate or good scale to use for weighing something like a bat on it. However, I measured other items on it, and the weight was dead on.

My thinking is, if the bat weighted 32 oz. in 1996, and it weighted 32 3/4 oz. 14 years later, that would make more sense than a 31 oz. bat weighing 32 3/4 oz. 14 years later.

[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif']Can't thank you and Andrew enough for taking time out of your busy schedules to help. It's important to me to document this bat as much as possible. [/FONT][FONT='Calibri','sans-serif'][/FONT][FONT='Calibri','sans-serif'][/FONT]

[3arod13]

Re: Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

Tony, I found this picture in an old post and thought it may help for Brian to see a picture of the bat.

Also, Tony how did you weigh the bat?

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Andrew,

Thanks for posting the pic of the bat. Truly appreciate it!

I emailed you a picture of the bat on the scale I used. Measures even less than ounces.

I think at 32 3/4 ounces, if the bat weighed 32 at the time it was made, and you consider the margin for error, 3/4 ounces extra would make sense. Plus consider the added pine tar, etc.

So I believe I can say this is one of the 32 ounce bats orders, and not the 31 ounce bats.

What do you think?

[allstarsplus]

Re: Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

Tony, I found this picture in an old post and thought it may help for Brian to see a picture of the bat.

Also, Tony how did you weigh the bat?

[BMH]

Re: Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

If it weighs 32.75 I will say it is most likely from the 3/29/96 order of 12 bats that weighed 32oz. Bat weight can fluctuate over time due to temp and humidity. Like you said, if it has pine tar on it then it did add some weight.

I can't rule the bat out from being one of the 24 from January or February but when a bat does change weight it usually loses weight and does not gain unless its kept in a damp area.

[3arod13]

Re: Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

Alright, like I said the information of when he hit it and the fact it's an autograph bat means it was either one of the 24 34/31 C271's sent to him in Spring Training or it's one of the 12 34/32 C271's sent to him in Spring Training of 1996.

If your looking for more information than that please tell me because I'm a little confused as to what your looking for.

BMH,

If a bat weighed 32 ounces out of the factory when it was made. And then was used by the player. Would it make sense when weighing the bat later, it could weight 32 3/4 ounces, considering it was used by the player (pine tar, etc.)?

[3arod13]

Re: Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

Not dumb, with today's players and the terminology used it's easy to get confused. Smith finish is what most players call "double dipped". Our Smith finish is a grain filling process. If you can see the grain clearly from the handle to the end of the barrel then it's not a Smith finish bat. If you can't see the grain in the barrel then it is a Smith finish bat.

Arod's first order for Smith finish was in December of 1996.

BMH,

Thanks!!

I now have to get the bat weighed, so I can determine if this bat is
either:

* one of the 24 34/31 C271's sent to him in Spring Training, or
* one of the 12 34/32 C271's sent to him in Spring Training of 1996.

With this bat being Arod's 1st Career Grand Slam Bat, and him being only 3 Grand Slams away from breaking the all time Grand Slam Record, which is currently owned and held by Lou Gehrig since 1938, I want to document this bat as much as possible.

Again, many thanks for time and help.

[BMH]

Re: Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

Not dumb, with today's players and the terminology used it's easy to get confused. Smith finish is what most players call "double dipped". Our Smith finish is a grain filling process. If you can see the grain clearly from the handle to the end of the barrel then it's not a Smith finish bat. If you can't see the grain in the barrel then it is a Smith finish bat.

Arod's first order for Smith finish was in December of 1996.

[3arod13]

Re: Louisville Slugger Specifics For 1996 Bats?

Can you tell from the orders if it is for the smith finish or not? I have a 34 inch smith finish Arod from 95-97 labeling. I think Tony's bat is not the smith finish variety if that could pinpoint the order.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, what is and how can you tell if a bat has a smith finish?