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 August 1st, 2001 game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Ripken has marked this bat on the barrel with a piece of athletic tape and labeled it “Broken AB August 1 VS Tampa Bay”. This bat displays outstanding game use with a crack on the handle. There are ball marks, stitch impressions and slight checking or grain swelling from repeated ball contact present 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 (1B24146) for the game use and has been given a very high grade of GU 9.5.

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