This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/11/2018
This nice pairing of professional model bats represents two important Hall of Famers who each overcame racial adversity and went on to carve out careers without which the story of baseball cannot be told. Roberto Clemente overcame the double stigma of being both Latino and black, winning over fans of all colors with his tremendous talents both at bat and in the outfield. The Puerto Rican legend batted .317 for his career and had exactly 3,000 hits to his name when an ill-fated plane crash in Nicaragua took his life on New Year’s Eve in 1972. Frank Robinson broke race barriers both as a young player in the 1950s and later as the first African-American manager in the Majors in 1975. Along the way he won an MVP Award in both leagues, a pair of World Championships, Triple Crown and Manager of the Year Award, finishing his career with 586 home runs.
Clemente’s Hillerich & Bradsby U1 model bat (manufactured posthumously 1973-75 according to the label and style) shows no evident game use and has some abrasions to the barrel end and knob from contact with other equipment. The model number U1 is stamped into the knob and the H&B factory stamping is extraordinarily dark and clear. Frank Robinson’s R218 model Louisville Slugger, issued in the 1980-83 era when Robinson served as manager of the San Francisco Giants, shows some light use with abrasions on the knob and barrel end and light coat of pine tar on the handle. It also includes his engraved signature on the bat barrel. A pair of very attractive pro model bats from two of the best sluggers and race pioneers of the 1960’s.
Includes letter of provenance from the daughter of a longtime MLB executive whose name will be revealed to the winning bidder.