October Legends and Americana Ending November 14th
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/15/2015
The 1950's are often called baseball's greatest era. For the first time players of all races and colors competed together on an equal field, showcasing the absolute best the game had to offer. That decade featured some of the most bitter team rivalries and exciting pennant races of all time and guys like Mantle, Aaron, Spahn and Musial made the fifties one of the most talent laden time the game has ever known. The one man who stood out among all the greats of that era was Willie Mays. While many could hit, others could run and still more could field, Willie Mays could do it all, and do it better than anyone else. In 1959 Mays was in his ninth major league season and he was just hitting his stride as a player. All summer long his big bat kept the Giants paced with their arch rivals, the Dodgers. By the end of the season Mays had hit 34 homers to finish 5th in the league and he was in the top 10 in RBI, hits, doubles, total bases, and runs scored. To show how complete a player he was, Mays led the National League in stolen bases for the 4th consecutive year. This very bat was there, in his hands, during that summer of 1959. As you'd expect from the most complete ballplayer in the game, this Hillerich & Bradsby W173 bat exhibits heavy use and has a secured handle crack. The barrel is covered with ball marks with stitch impressions as well as cleat marks on the handle and barrel. The bats handle has been scored to enhance the grip and a light coat of pine tar is still evident on the lower handle. The model "W173" is stamped into the knob end. The center brand stamping is clear and crisp and the barrel carries the block letter "W MAYS" stamped into it. The standard finished ash bat has taken on a warm golden glow with age, enhancing its awesome visual appeal. To top off an already awesome piece of baseball history, Willie Mays has signed the barrel between the center brand and stamped endorsement in bold black marker. A Willie Mays gamer simply does not get any better than this! PSA/DNA have agreed and bestowed this bat with their grade of GU 8.5. Letter of Authenticity from PSA/DNA (1B08623) and JSA.