This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/8/2018
Terrific trio of 1940's era St. Louis Cardinals game used bat swung by three important players from that legendary National League dynasty.
First up is a George "Whitey" Kurowski rookie era bat that dates to 1941-1944. Kurowski and Stan Musial were both called up to the Cards at the tail end of the ’41 season where the two quickly established themselves as the core of the team that would win four pennants and three World Championships in six years. The beautiful mahogany Hillerich & Bradsby Kurowski signature model shows light usage and has taken on a deeper sepia tone with age. The second bat in this group is a 1943-45 Walker Cooper block letter H&B pro model bat. Cooper was the Cards' rock-solid backstop who made the N.L. All-Star squad every July from 1942 to 1950. Cooper’s oak bat shows moderate usage with a golden hue from age.
The third bat in this collection is a lovely two-tone Del Rice H&B signature model that dates to the 1945-49 period. Rice was Cooper’s understudy and later backup to catcher Joe Garagiola. All three bats have small pinholes drilled into the knob end from how they were once mounted in a display. These little holes obscure part of the model number stamped into two of the bat knobs, but do not detract at all from the striking visual attractiveness of these vintage gamers. A great collection representing of three important cogs in the Cardinals pennant-winning machine of the 1940’s.
Includes LOA from the family of the St. Louis Cardinals' team dentist in the 1940's and 50's.