Posted By:
Robert PlancichThe "streak" bat that was sold in MastroNet's April 2004 for $350,496.00 purported came from a shipment of bats that DiMaggio ordered on 07.01.41. This shipment included 6 bats. The bats arrived after the All Star game that was played on 07.08.41. Since they had the next day off the regular season games didn't start until 07.10.41. DiMaggio's hitting streak ended 07.17.41. The letter from Tommy Henrich attesting to the bat's authenticity states that the bat specificially came from this 07.01.41 shipment of bats to DiMaggio.Therefore this bat could have only been usd for that one week, and only one week for the bat to have been authentic. Now my question is how did Henrich who is I believe 93 years old and who supposedly had this bat in his attic for over 60 years have complete recall of the 07.01.41 order date particulary on a shipment of bats that were sent to DiMaggio? Someone had to feed him that information. MastroNet also made available an hour video tape wherein Dave Bushing interviews Henrich and people that have seen that interview say that he is lead into every question. For example, Dave Bushing would ask a question like is this the bat that came from the 07.01.41 shipment of bats to DiMaggio and Henrich would answer "Yes".
Additionally, you have to buy into the fact that DiMaggio hit with the "label down" during this particular week in his streak which is highly unlikely because he was very superstitious. I spoke with Dominic DiMaggio and he told me that Joe (like everyone else with the possible exception of Williams and some others) hit with the "label up". This becomes very important because if Joe hits with the "label up" the ball marks on this bat are on the wrong side of the label. However, the ball marks are on the correct side of the label for a left-handed hitter that hits with the "label up". It just so happens that Henrich is a left-handed hitter and was known to have borrowed one of these bats from Joe.