Vintage 1930’s Frank “Lefty” O’Doul Hanna Batrite Professional Model Bat

Description

This is for an original vintage Lefty O’Doul Hanna Batrite professional model dating from the early 1930’s. This super rare bat is in incredible condition and shows every trait you are looking for in a game used professional model bat. Hanna Batrite bats are just starting to become popular and known to collectors and have been fetching record high prices in major auctions. The bat has incredibly clear knob stampings including the July 15 1930 patent date along with the number 1770403 in the center of the patent date. The head of the bat features the words Beaver Driver, which along with Georgia Driver were both names given to professional model bats. The bat is also stamped Steel Temper, which was the company’s way to harden and seal the bat, similar to “Powerized” on H & B bats. Finally the letters TA, again used only on professional model bats appears before the name O’Doul and the number 815, 81 standing for the model bat Lefty O’Doul used while the 5 would tell the length of the bat which is 35 inches. Many of the professional model bat numbers were found in the only original Hanna Batrite catalog. Known numbers NOT found in the original 1930 catalog are 80 (Eddie Collins), 82 (Chuck Klein) and 83 (Hack Wilson). This 81 O’Doul bat would fit perfectly in that slot between 80 and 82. The bat still shows nice use from tons of hits and has electrical tape wrapped around the handle. I turned the bat around and have been bouncing it for awhile on hard surfaces to see if it is cracked but it sounds solid. I don’t want to take the tape off the bat because it could have been original to the player but I would wager if you decided to remove it there would be no crack. A gorgeous and super tough bat to find. This is a must have for any serious collector.
As a side note, Lefty started his career off as a pitcher and still holds the record as a reliever allowing 16 runs in only 3 innings including 14 in a single inning. The sad part is only 3 of the 16 runs were earned. O’Doul wouldn’t become a full time position player until 1928 at the age of 31 and would proceed to tear the league apart with his hitting. He would finish 2
nd
in MVP voting in 1929 with the Phillies and 3
rd
in 1932 with Brooklyn. He would finish his career with a .349 batting average, including a high of .398 with the 29 Phils, and was never voted into the Hall of Fame (having the highest average of any nonmember). Had Lefty played in enough games to be included in hitting records, his .349 would rank him 4
th
all time in average behind Cobb, Hornsby and Shoeless Joe Jackson. Lefty would manage the San Francisco Seals in the PCL along with being instrumental in bringing baseball to Japan and being inducted to the Japanese Hall of Fame.
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Combined shipping always available for multiple purchases