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Starting his career with a bang, Chuck Knoblauch won the American League Rookie of the Year award and a World Series Ring as part of the 1991 Minnesota Twins. During the 1994-96 seasons, Knoblauch batted .312, .333, and .341, won the AL Gold Glove Award at second base in 1997, and became renowned for his speed—stealing over 40 bases in three consecutive seasons. After the 1997 season, Knoblauch was traded to the Yankees. Once a popular player in Minnesota, his very outspoken request to be traded away from the Twins ensured he would be roundly jeered on every successive trip to the Metrodome. This jeering included the throwing of hot dogs, beer bottles and golf balls at Knoblauch during a visit to the Metrodome in 2001.
Knoblauch's arrival in New York was greeted with wide anticipation, with one New York Times writer openly predicting that he and Derek Jeter would form the greatest double play combination in history. Though he struggled early on with the team, he hit a career-high 17 home runs as the Yankees won a then-American League record 114 games. In 1998 Knoblauch was an important factor in the World Series victory over the San Diego Padres. The Yankees won the American League pennant every year he was with the team, winning three World Series championships, giving the 4 time All Star a total of four World series Championship rings. He finished his 12-year career with a .289 batting average with 407 stolen bases.
This bat was manufactured by the Hillerich & Bradsby Company. It has Chuck Knoblauch's facsimile signature stamped on the barrel as he had an endorsement contract with the company at the time of manufacture. This bat has what is commonly referred to as 1997-1998 era labeling. However is specific to 1998 as New York Yankees appears on the barrel label below his name (he was traded to the Yankees from the Twins in Feb. 1998.) The Model Number T141 is stamped into barrel of this bat. The bat is cupped (T141C) and has a Walker Finish. It measures 34.25 inches in length and currently weighs approximately 32 ounces. This bat has a crack in the handle that is most severe approximately 11 inches from the knob, with a moderate displacement of the wood. This bat also exhibits a significant number of heavy game use characteristics, including the cracked handle, heavy pine tar residue (in an area between 12" and 18" from the knob), and multiple hit marks and ball marks, Knoblauch's uniform number 11 appears on both the knob and in the cupped barrel end in black marker.
This is an opportunity to get a great bat used by Chuck Knoblauch during his 1998 season with the New York Yankees, where he was a member of the 1998 World Championship Team (and subsequently went on to win 2 more World Championships with the New York Yankees, following his 1991 World Championship with the Minnesota Twins.)View Lot Detail page
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