Tony Gwynn made his 13th All-Star appearance at the 1997 edition of the Midsummer’s Classic in Cleveland, Ohio. Gwynn was the starting designated hitter for the National League squad, finishing hitless in their 3-1 defeat to the Junior Circuit contingent. Gwynn had arguably the best season of his career in 1997, setting career-highs in home runs (17), RBI (119), and hits (220), while winning his eighth batting title with a .372 average. Gwynn retired after the 2001 season and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.

Offered here is one of the bats used by Gwynn during the 1997 All-Star Game in Cleveland.  This Louisville Slugger B267 Tony Gwynn model bat displays outstanding game use and has a crack in the handle. There are specific red and blue ink transfer marks on the barrel that have been photo matched by Resolution Photomatching to the 1997 All-Star Game played on July 8th. The bat was cracked in the sixth inning when Gwynn was facing Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen. The bat was then given to a fan. There is a moderate coating of pine tar on the upper handle/lower barrel, with the lower handle taped in a spiral pattern to enhance the grip. The knob has “B2267C”, “33-30 ½” and “19” handwritten in black marker, which indicate the bat’s model number, length/weight and Gwynn’s number. “B267” and “19” are also handwritten in black marker on the cupped barrel end. A great game used bat tied to an All-Star Game from one of baseball’s best-ever pure hitters. This bat comes with a LOA from Resolution Photomatching (426752), who have photo matched this bat to the 1997 Major League All-Star Game played on July 8th, 1997.

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