December Card & Memorabilia Auction Dec 9 - 18/19
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/18/2022
The legendary shortstop Cal Ripken, Jr. played his final MLB season in 2001, ending a career that saw him collect over 3,000 hits and 431 home runs. Ripken, baseball’s all-time leader in consecutive games started, played in his 19th All-Star Game in 2001, hitting a home run off Chan Ho Park and earning All-Star Game MVP honors. In 2007, Ripken was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot, collecting 98.5% of the vote.
Ripken used this Louisville Slugger P72 model bat for the final time during the September 4th, 2001 game against Barry Zito and the Oakland A’s at Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland. Ripken has marked this bat on the barrel with a piece of athletic tape and labeled it “Broken 3rd AB Sept 4th vs Zito Oak”. In that plate appearance, Ripken grounded out to short stop and broke this bat in that plate appearance. This bat displays outstanding game use with a crack on the handle. There are ball marks and stitch impressions on the barrel. This bat comes directly from the personal collection of Cal Ripken, Jr. and a signed LOA from Cal will accompany this bat. Additionally, there is a LOA from PSA/DNA (1B19788) for the game use and has been given a high grade of GU 8.5.