Winter Auction 2015 closing February 7
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/8/2015
While Cal Ripken Jr.’s minor league stats are not of the eye-popping variety they are certainly good enough to merit his steady advance through the Orioles farms system and eventual promotion to the big leagues in 1981. Ripken began the 1981 season at AAA Rochester where he hit .288 with 23 home runs and 75 RBI in 114 games including the longest game in professional baseball history, a marathon 33-inning affair that began at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, RI on April 18/19, 1981 and concluded at the same ballpark on June 23.
Ripken got a few rips in with this 35-inch, 33.4-ounce Louisville Slugger model P72 bat (labeling period 1981) which shows evidence of excellent game use with a visible professionally repaired crack running from the upper handle into the label. Several ball marks and stitch impressions are visible on the left barrel just above Ripken’s signature branding as well as cleat mark dings and blue bat rack streaks. Ripken’s Rochester Red Wings number “5” is written on the bat’s knob in black marker and his signature is in silver sharpie between the label and barrel; comes with PSA/DNA LOA certification #G55093 but does not include an opinion for the signature.