Ruth Rookie Gamer?
 

Did anyone else see this ebay auction? I will try to include the link below, but if it doesn't work, just search completed auctions of seller siliconvalet.
He just sold a lot labeled "set of 3 antique baseball bats", and one of them appears to be a Babe Ruth rookie bat. He barely mentions the Ruth bat in the description and if I recall correctly, doesn't even reference Babe Ruth. What's strange is he has relisted the other two bats (that's how I found the original listing). Because it's a buy it now, you can't see any indication of who the buyer is.
Do you think this possible Ruth rookie gamer really sold for a thousand dollars?

Greg

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Set-of-3-Ant...p2047675.l2557

Saw that auction but if I remember correctly the center label stamping was dash dot dash on top and also bottom which makes it 1910-1915 markings. However, the center label also had it was made by Hillerich and Bradsby and not Hillerich and Son which I don't think makes sense if you go by Malta's book as that came later.

Calling MGHPro
 

Bradsby didn't become a partner until 1916, so it's definitely not a rookie bat. Also, with no provenance, who's to say someone didn't just get a blank bat and stamp Ruth's name? While tantalizing, this one seems a little too weak on info to get involved with it. I'm interested in what some of the bat experts here think though. MGHPro?

Sorry, I should have said early bat, not rookie. My immediate thought was too good to be true and could somene have stamped the name Ruth on there later, but obviously the seller wasn't even selling it as a Babe Ruth game bat.

Greg

Just heard it's been authenticated by John Taube. Came out of an estate in Massachusetts along with a bunch of antique tools.

Greg

It's going up for sale next week at the national after it's restored.

My goodness. When did it sell? Can't believe I didn't catch it on my antique bat searches.

I think someone bought the lot and than another eBay person told the seller what they have. So the seller probably cancelled the sale and contacted taube or auction house.

You're right, because that same seller is selling the Parent and Williams bats separately. The Williams is a store model, and the Parent is Sanford, not a known pro model bat manufacturer. Do you have a link to anything about Taube authenticating it? Did they have factory records back then? It just seems so arbitrary with no provenance and four letters that anyone could've stamped. We've all seen black dash-dot-dashes out there.

What do you guys think about the Cy Williams bat? Has the "W" scratched in the knob but it's a 40CW, which makes it store model. Any idea what GPR and ACS stand for?

There was another bat sold at auction from 1916 with ruth stamped. So I'm sure taube can tell whether its new vs old.

Block lettered bats can be tough, but based on the label and when Ruth had an agreement, we are looking at around a 1916-17 bat, I think.

Not many Ruth's back then either.

It looks to be his model, in terms of knob, handle, and barrel shapes and proportions. Would need to really see in person, but from here looks correct. The model that was to be a new standard bearer.thinner handle, flat delineated knob, yet full barrel. While such a bat with a medium club-like-appearance is more widely found post 1920, as players copied Ruth, that model type is not as widely found pre 1920.

Yeah that's pretty amazing to turn up. Someone who sees it at the national please let us know what the asking price is if its offered there along with any more details.

Anyone know who got the seller to end the original auctions and offer $1,000 for all 3 bats?

How do you know the seller didn't put a $1,000 buy it now to begin with? And there is a way to see who bought it for $1,000 but not any of my business to say who bought it.

I don't. But it was originally set at 3 different auctions, and now it appears at one auction for $1,000. I just figured that's what the seller was offered, especially considering what other items the seller is currently selling and knows nothing about baseball items.

None of your business? Taube, restoring, the national? Come on man, you already offered some info all on your own. No one would've thought anything of this if you hadn't shared that.

Seller ended it early. The Parent and Cy Williams bats are up separately now.

So was it sold and transaction cancelled or was it sold and the buyer said I'll just take the one bat, you can keep the other 2, and re-sell them because the buyer had a little remorse getting a small fortune from the seller in the one bat?

No idea. It's all a little confusing. I'm also not sure why we haven't heard anything about Taube or the National. Whoever is auctioning it would probably have send an e-mail by now. Wouldn't a 1916 Ruth gamer be one of the biggest discoveries of the decade?

It's not auction, I think it will be just for sale at the national maybe at tubes booth or someone else. Idk

Does anybody think it's weird that the posting has Ruth's name in the description, but the seller just titled it "Set of 3 Antique Baseball Bats"? Wouldn't you think you would put "Ruth" in the title?

This may be my Hollywood cynicism talking but this seems like the best viral marketing I could think of for the National.

Not really, considering the other items they are selling. They obviously don't know anything about baseball items and to them, they are probably just 3 old bats. Happens quite a bit

Brock why do u seem to know so much about this? Tell what you know please.

I wrote what the seller said " It's going up for sale next week at the national after it's restored."


So I know nothing besides what the seller mentioned. But I don't think it is forsale, I didn't see it on display.

Any anyone verify that it is indeed an early Ruth gamer??

It is the real deal.

Anyone have any better pics of the ruth bat?? I couldn't see crap from the ebay listing.

I think some people know about it but probably won't say anything until (and if) it goes for sale. If it's the real deal, my goodness that's an amazing find. But it all seems a little wishy washy and I'm confused why the seller has the other two bats when eBay registers the $999 for 3 bats as a completed sale. I will admit though that a hearty fraction of my skepticism is coming purely from envy. If anyone at the National could keep an eye out for the bat and report back, that would be awesome.

The bat is not on display at the national at least it wasn't for the last two days.

I don't understand how some of you can't connect the dots with what happened with the bat. The seller either listed it for $999 or the buyer offered that amount, who knows I don't know. So than the buyer purchased said 3 bats for $999. So I'm guessing after they were bought, some low life jealous ebayer than told the seller after the sale that the bat was worth a lot more money. So after that the seller broke his contract of the sale and than refunds the money and contacts better hobby people or gets the bat authenticated....

Not so hard to understand.

Man, bummer for the buyer.....

Encouraging a breach of contract, ie. encouraging the seller not to proceed with the formal exchange of bats for cash, may open up the encouraging party to liability - particularly if the other party is a dealer, and is encouraging the seller not to proceed, in order to get in on the deal himself.

Anyone dealing the bat should consult counsel, as they are undoubtedly aware of the sale agreement.

Yeah my dad was caught up in a very similar legal situation a few years ago (actually it is still ongoing) and I believe I read in some of the documents it being referred to "contractual interference". In my dads case an item was bought with a check before ownership of item changed hands. The interference was someone else stepped in and saying I will give you more for it. So a new transaction took place (and original uncashed check got returned to initial buyer) interfering with original purchase.

Will this be similar??

eBay has terms and conditions that sellers must adhere to and agree to adhere to when they place their items for sale. One of those agreements is a legally binding contract for sale / payment.

Spoke with John Taube at his booth at the National yesterday and the bat is the real deal (I didn't see it) and apparently John is the holder of the bat until the parties (seller and reneged buyer I assume) sort out the next steps.

Yes, this would be similar, if there was a third party who tried to convince the seller not to complete the transaction with the buyer, knowing that there was a binding agreement in place. Of course the buyer could also have a direct claim against the seller for breach of contract. Given the special nature of the item, a claim for specific performance could be sought. That means that rather than monetary damages being awarded, which is by far the most typical remedy, the seller would have to actually complete the sale of the bat to the purchaser.

Now I'm kind of glad I did miss out on it. Sounds like quite a legal headache.

Anybody have any new information regarding the sale of the bat ?

First i'm hearing of this...incredible story.

Any update??

Anyone know if this is the bat that's going to be auctioned by Ken Goldin at the Babe Ruth memorabilia auction??

Nobody?

Here's the bat at auction now. Anyone know how the original ebay situation was resolved?

Greg

Forgot to include the auction link:

http://www.goldinauctions.com/1916_1...-LOT10461.aspx