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Al Simmons' playing career spanned over three decades of Major League Baseball. He had an unusual batting stance, with his left foot pointed straight down the third base line; as the pitch was delivered he strode toward third. Consequently, his nickname was "Bucketfoot Al." Early in Simmons' career, manager Connie Mack said, "Let that boy alone. If he can hit like that, I don't care if he stands on his head at the plate." A deadly clutch-hitter and a favorite of Mack, Simmons joined the Philadelphia Athletics in 1924. He was dominant at the plate, and finished in the Top Five in Most Valuable Player Award voting in 1925, 1926, 1927, and 1931. Simmons was a member of Connie Mack's World Champion Athletics in 1929 and 1930, and won batting titles in 1930 and 1931. He recorded 11 consecutive seasons as a .300 hitter and 100-RBI man. He was selected to the first three American League All Star teams in 1933, 1934, and 1935. Al Simmons' best year as a player was in 1930 when he hit .381 and drove in 165 runs and scored 152 in only 138 games Simmons was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953 after playing for twenty years from 1924 to 1943 and accumulating a lifetime batting average of .334. In addition to his 12 years with the Athletics, Simmons played for the White Sox, Tigers, Senators, Red Sox, Redlegs, and Braves.
This bat was manufactured by Hillerich & Bradsby. The bat has Al Simmons' name on the barrel in script, indicating that Simmons had an endorsement contract with the company at the time of manufacture. The labeling on this bat is consistent with that most commonly seen during the 1928 to 1930 labeling period. This professional grade Hickory wood bat measures 36 inches in length, and weighs approximately 39 ounces. A review of Al Simmons' personal H & B shipping records documents orders of both 36 inch and 38 inch bats throughout his career, as his favored lengths, with weights generally ranging from 35 to 38 ounces. This bat is a model 40K bat, featuring a patented Kork grip (1914 patent stamp.) 40K bats were available in retail stores and catalogues, however, were used in the Major Leagues as well, and are documented in the H & B records of Babe Ruth, Travis Jackson, and Joe Sewell. This bat has a hand turned knob and is devoid of inch marks, reducing the possibility that this specific bat was available as a retail bat. Although not specifically mentioned in Simmons' records during the specific labeling period, a notation on an order shipped on 3/1/1939 says either "tan grip hdle" or "tar grip hdle," indicating that there were periods in his career when he specified some type of handle preparation done at the factory. This bat contains a variety of game use characteristics, including numerous hit marks which have caused an area of grain swelling on the barrel and cleat marks. The bat is uncracked, and approximately 90% of the Kork grip is intact.
Accompanying this bat is a Letter of Authenticity from Dave Bushing on behalf of Best of Yesterday Memorabilia, Orland Park, Illinois which characterizes this bat as an "Al Simmons Professional Model 40K game used bat (label period 1921-31) from his time with the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League." View Lot Detail page
This bat was manufactured by Hillerich & Bradsby. The bat has Al Simmons' name on the barrel in script, indicating that Simmons had an endorsement contract with the company at the time of manufacture. The labeling on this bat is consistent with that most commonly seen during the 1928 to 1930 labeling period. This professional grade Hickory wood bat measures 36 inches in length, and weighs approximately 39 ounces. A review of Al Simmons' personal H & B shipping records documents orders of both 36 inch and 38 inch bats throughout his career, as his favored lengths, with weights generally ranging from 35 to 38 ounces. This bat is a model 40K bat, featuring a patented Kork grip (1914 patent stamp.) 40K bats were available in retail stores and catalogues, however, were used in the Major Leagues as well, and are documented in the H & B records of Babe Ruth, Travis Jackson, and Joe Sewell. This bat has a hand turned knob and is devoid of inch marks, reducing the possibility that this specific bat was available as a retail bat. Although not specifically mentioned in Simmons' records during the specific labeling period, a notation on an order shipped on 3/1/1939 says either "tan grip hdle" or "tar grip hdle," indicating that there were periods in his career when he specified some type of handle preparation done at the factory. This bat contains a variety of game use characteristics, including numerous hit marks which have caused an area of grain swelling on the barrel and cleat marks. The bat is uncracked, and approximately 90% of the Kork grip is intact.
Accompanying this bat is a Letter of Authenticity from Dave Bushing on behalf of Best of Yesterday Memorabilia, Orland Park, Illinois which characterizes this bat as an "Al Simmons Professional Model 40K game used bat (label period 1921-31) from his time with the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League." View Lot Detail page