FALL 2012 Auction

Nobody was more dedicated to the art of putting bat on ball than Ted Williams, a human hitting machine equipped with near-perfect eyesight, lightning reflexes, powerful forearms and unnerving patience. The "Splendid Splinter" also came with a heavy dose of arrogance and self-confidence, the most conspicuous traits of a baseball maverick who terrorized American League pitchers from 1939-60. If Williams wasn't the greatest pure hitter of all time, an acclaim which he fervently sought, he certainly was of his era. The Williams bottom line is filled with superlatives—two MVPs, six batting crowns, 2,654 hits, a .344 average, 521 home runs, four homer titles and five RBI crowns—numbers that could have been considerably higher if he had not lost four prime seasons to military service during World War II and the Korean War. Williams used this bat, one of the finest examples known, during the 1951-52 period. Measuring 35” and weighing 33 oz., the signature model W166 is ideal by every measure collector’s use in assessing the quality of game used bats. It shows evidence of tremendous use with a handle crack that has been professionally repaired. Many ball marks and ball stitch marks are visible on the left and right side of the barrel. Also visible on the barrel are cleat marks and green bat rack streaks. There is a heavy coat of pine tar on the lower handle. The appearance of Williams' number (9) on the knob written in black paint, is considered by experts as a veritable LOA written by Williams himself. The summation of this bats’ attributes comes in the last line of an accompanying LOA from John Taube of PSA/DNA whereby he states, “It is one of the finest examples of a Ted Williams game used bat that we have had the pleasure of authenticating.”

LOA from PSA/DNA (Grade GU10).