Goldin Elite Auction Ending May 22-23
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/23/2021
This lot closes on May 23rd, 2021 at 10:00 PM EDT for initial bids.
Brooklyn fans dubbed Paul Waner “Big Poison” to differentiate him from his nearly identical but slightly smaller brother Lloyd who was called “Little Poison” - “poison” being Brooklynese for “person”, as in “dat big poison hit another home run off our bums today”. While the Yankees had their “Murderer’s Row” of Ruth and Gehrig, the Pirates of the same era had their own killer line up headed by Paul Waner. In 1928-30, the years this offered bat dates to, Waner hit a combined .358 and led the National League in runs and doubles in 1928. When he retired in 1945, his lifetime average was .333 and he was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1953.
The bat presented here is Waner’s Hillerich & Bradsby pre-model bat dating to the 1928-1930 seasons. This bat displays outstanding game use and is un-cracked. There are ball marks on the left, back and right barrel with checking or grain swelling that defines the left and back barrel as primary contact area. Also seen on the bat are several green bat rack marks on all sides of the barrel with a small chip on the knob that has been repaired. The finish of this bat has been re-touched and there are still a few bruises visible on the right and back barrel.
This bat is considered a pre-model bat due to the lack of a model number on the knob or face of the barrel. According to the game experts at PSA/DNA who utilize the Professional Bat Ordering Records (PBOR), Waner’s ordered several models during the labeling period – which included “His 6-22-27”, “Reb Russell”, “Old Tim Hendryx”, “Joe Jackson”, “Hornsby” and “Lefty Grim, Use H.S. Cuyler” models. PSA/DNA executed caliper measurements on the knob and barrel and by process of elimination, determined that this was the “Reb Russell” model that was ordered in February of 1928. This bat was also consistent in terms of length compared to the other models mentioned that were ordered between 1928 and 1930. An early game used bat from one of the greatest hitters in the history of the Pirates franchise and this comes with a LOA from PSA/DNA (1B16713) for the game use and has been given a high grade of GU 8.5.