This bat was produced for Gordon Slade, a 1930’s journeyman infielder with Brooklyn, St. Louis and Cincinnati. In 1933 Slade was on the Cardinals roster and one of his teammates was Charlie Gelbert, a veteran infielder who played on St. Louis’ great “Gas House Gang” teams of the 1930’s. Sometime in 1934 or 1935, Gelbert began using one of Slade’s old bats, and when its barrel broke, Gelbert shipped it back to the Louisville factory to have duplicates made for his own use.

     Its receipt at the factory was noted in pencil on this bat’s barrel, known as “side-written” to collectors. Bats carrying these side-written factory notations are about as solid proof of use by a specific player as you can get. This Hillerich & Bradsby bat shows heavy game use and has a cracked barrel. The bat carries the side written notation in pencil: “34oz. Chas. Gelbert 8-14-35 St. Louis Nat. Lea.” A great gamer from baseball’s Golden Era. This bat comes with an LOA from MEARS (311289) for the game use and has been graded an A9.

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