In the days before Ty Cobb, Napoleon Lajoie was the best hitter in baseball. He won the Triple Crown in 1901 and took five consecutive batting crowns from 1901 through 1905. Lajoie was so popular with the Cleveland fans that from 1903 to 1913 the team was called the “Naps” in his honor. This offered bat dates to the 1905 - 1910 period in which Lajoie was the greatest hitter in the game. In the early years of the century, Boston sports equipment maker Wright & Ditson contracted with Lajoie to put his name on a bat of the type he himself used.

     The bat’s length of 34 inches and weight of 38 ounces compares favorably to Lajoie’s H&B L22 model which was referred to as “His Old Model”. Wright & Ditson was a supplier of sporting goods to Major League baseball during Lajoie’s playing career and the length and weight are consistent with Lajoie gamers. The bat shows heavy game use and is un-cracked. There is checking throughout the surface due to repeated ball contact. Black tape runs approximately 11 ¼ inch up the handle to enhance the grip.

     This bat displays wonderfully with the wood has darkened to a warm deep brown and the “WRIGHT & DITSON BOSTON MAKERS No. 5” stamping is both deep and bold. “LAJOIE” is stamped in block lettering on the back barrel. In their LOA provided with this bat, the experts at Mears have provided a photo showing Lajoie holding this style bat and have noted that “you can see the knob, handle and barrel shape, and barrel end is similar to this offered bat. Also note the presence of handle tape on this bat, which is consistent with the available photo with respect to the color of tape, placement of the tape, and the application of the tape.”. This is a true piece of early baseball history that comes with a full LOA from Mears.

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