This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/12/2012.
Hank Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation, hitting 58 home runs in 1938. Greenberg was a five-time All-Star and was twice named the American League's Most Valuable Player. He is the American League record holder for most RBIs in a single season by a right-handed batter—183 RBI in 1937 (a 154-game schedule.) This bat could in fact be from that very year that he had 183 RBI. Greenberg was the first Jewish superstar in American professional sports. He attracted national attention in 1934 when he refused to play baseball on Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement, even though the Tigers were in the middle of a pennant race. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1956. Manuf: Spalding Model Number: No. 200 Resilite Length: 35 in Weight: 36.1 oz Wood: Ash Finish: Air Dried-Bone Rubbed. Spalding model No. 200 Resilite Hank Greenberg professional model bat is un-cracked and exhibits evidence of heavy use. Many ball marks and ball stitch impressions are visible on the left and back barrel. Cleat marks are visible on the back barrel and green bat rack streaks, seen frequently on Tigers bats from the era, are visible on all sides of the barrel and the handle. The foil stamping in the center brand and barrel brand exhibited some flaking. Letters have been restored to their original condition. This Hank Greenberg Spalding Resilite model with foil stamping is among the rarest of Greenberg professional model bats. The Resilite model with foil stamping was only produced for a short period of time between 1935 and 1937. Greenberg used Spalding models at the professional level. A Spalding model noted as ‘sent in’ appears on his Professional Bat Ordering Record (PBOR), on file at Louisville Slugger Inc. The bat was returned by Greenberg on July 13th 1934, so that Louisville Sluggers of the same model could be produced for him. Accompanied by a LOA from PSA/DNA graded a GU9.