This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/4/2017
For his career, Lajoie batted .338, topping the .300 mark 15 times and leading the league five times. He cranked out 3,242 hits, 657 doubles, scored 1,504 runs, and drove in 1,599. Lajoie swung the bat so hard, that on three separate occasions in 1899, he literally tore the cover off the ball.
As a fielder, Lajoie was special to watch. “Lajoie glides toward the ball and gathers it in nonchalantly, as if picking fruit,” commented a New York newspaper. Connie Mack elaborated: “He plays so naturally and so easily it looks like lack of effort. Larry’s reach is so long and he’s fast as lightning.” In 1901 Lajoie won the Triple Crown, leading the league with a .426 batting average, 14 homers, and 125 runs batted in. He also led the league in runs, hits, and doubles.
Offered for evaluation is a period bat simply stamped “LAJOIE” on the center of the bat. No manufacturers brand is present, which aids in the dating and evaluation of this bat.
Dating (1896-1905 circa): For the 1896-1905 era, several major sporting goods suppliers produced bats. Prominent companies included Victor, Wright & Ditson, Estes, Horace Partridge, and others offered bats with their companies name prominently displayed on the barrel. The companies name was added for one sole purpose, to sell bats to the masses. This fact is important, as the lack of corporate branding leads us to conclude the bat was not a commercially produced bat intended for resale. In summary, it is our opinion that the bat dates to pre 1905 due to the fact the bat has no manufacturer stamp. The manufacturer is unknown. In 1905, Lajoie signed an endorsement contract with H&B, and during that timeframe examples of his Louisville Slugger bats entered the market, along with Wright & Ditson models.
Examples of his Wright & Ditson model were found with the following marks, “(Printed in black lettering on the barrel, it reads) "Wright & Ditson, Boston., Makers., No. 1, Pat. Dec. 29. 1903". This establishes the fact that endorsed products (Lajoie Specifically) contained markings of the company.
Examination of the barrel with a digital microscope was utilized to see if the bat once possesses the stenciling of the Wright & Ditson No. 5 store model markings. No evidence of stenciling was noted under magnification, and comparison to known store model bats revealed that the “A” in Lajoie was a slightly different font. Per our research, this bat did not compare to any known store model examples.
Length (34”): No factory records are known for this bat. Upon the evaluation by MEARS, we were able to compare the bat to other known Lajoie model bats that have entered the hobby.
Lajoe, 1896-1905, 33”
Lajoie, 1905 Wrigth & Ditson, 33 ¾”, 40 ½ Ounce
Lajoie, H&B Decal, 34”, 38 Ounce
Lajoe, Pontiac Turner Company, 34”, 38 Ounce
Therefore, this bat is an acceptable length for professional players bat to have been used during the era.
Weight 41 Ounces: At its current weight of 41 ounces, the bat is consistent with several examples that have entered the hobby and an exact match to Lajoie’s documented ordered weight:
We have the following information of orders as referenced in the Louisville Slugger archives:
1911- No specified model, 42 ounce.
Therefore, the weight is within an acceptable range for Napoleon Lajoie bats from the era.
Model: Per his file card housed at the Louisville Slugger Museum, this bat matches what is listed as the L22 model noted as “His Old Model”, with round end. This bat is also supported as being his L22 model with round end when compared to the 1980s Louisville Slugger Signature Napoleon Lajoie bat commemorative bat that was issued by the Louisville Slugger factory and was patterned from the actual models at hand.
Period images support the tapered knob, thick handle/barrel, and rounded end as the type of model used by Lajoie during his career.
Game Use: The bat exhibits heavy game use.
Final Grade (MEARS Authentic): Due to lack of known factory records and lack of manufacturers mark, MEARS did not assign a numeric grade, but was comfortable issuing an “authentic” designation. We are comfortable that based on the model, length, weight, use, and approximated dating (due to lack of manufacturers stamp), that this bat can be considered for professional issuance and use by Napoleon Lajoie during the 1896-1905 era.
http://sports.mearsonlineauctions.com/LotDetail.aspx?inventoryid=84770
(98Z0202)
(MEARS Auction LOA)