Summer Premium Card and Memorabilia Auction Closing August 7 & 9
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/9/2021
The 1998 season will be forever remembered for the great home run chase between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa as both sluggers pursued the long-held single season home run record previously set by Roger Maris in 1961. While McGwire ended up winning the race at the end, Sosa made things very interesting – especially in the month of June. Sosa set a Major League record 20 home runs in the month June and this offered Adirondack/Rawlings 256B model bat was one of the sticks used by Sosa during that month.
As would be expected from a bat used by Sosa in June of 1998, this bat displays outstanding game use with a crack in the handle. While we can’t be sure how many home runs he hit while using this bat (if any at all), the presence of blue ink transfers from American League baseballs are a major tell-tale that Sosa likely used this bat in June. American League games on the road in which Sosa homered in include games in Minnesota and Detroit and it’s also possible the bat was used in Spring Training.
Aside from the blue ink transfers, there are also ball marks, stitch impressions and cleat imprints. There is a heavy coating of pine tar on the Rawlings logo and the lower handle and knob were taped in a spiral pattern to enhance the grip. The knob has Sosa’s number “21” handwritten in silver marker and Sammy has signed his name in silver marker on the barrel and inscribed “98 G.U. 66 HR”. This bat comes with a LOA from PSA/DNA (1B10769) for the game use and has been given a very high grade of GU 9.5. Additionally, there is a LOA from JSA (Z56564) for the signature and inscription.