Hall of Famer and baseball’s Iron Man Cal Ripken, Jr. had one of his statistically best seasons in 1996 when he hit 26 home runs, drove in 102 and maintained a solid. 278 batting average. Ripken also helped lead the Baltimore Orioles back to the playoffs for the first time since 1983 when they won the World Series. The Orioles won the American League Wild Card spot and dispatched the favored Cleveland Indians in four games of the best-of-five series. They then faced the New York Yankees, but came up short as New York won the ALCS in five games. This series will long be remembered for Derek Jeter's home run in Game 1 when the Yankees were trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the 8th inning, when 12-year-old Jeffrey Maier reached over the right field fence and caught Jeter's flyball that Orioles outfielder Tony Carrasco was making an attempt to catch. Despite umpire Richie Garcia being on the right field warning track where the ball was hit, he ruled it a home run and the game was tied. The Yankees would end up winning that game in the 11th inning on a walk-off home run by Bernie Williams.

Offered here is Cal Ripken’s Louisville Slugger P72 model bat that was used during the ALCS in 1996 and was the bat used when Ripken made the final out of the series. This bat has been photo matched to that exact at-bat by Resolution Photomatching where Ripken grounded out to second base as John Wetteland was able to close out the game and the series in Baltimore. This bat displays outstanding game use and is un-cracked. There are ball marks, stitch impressions and white leather scuffs present on the barrel. Ripken has added a piece of white athletic tape on the barrel and wrote “Game Bat ALCS 96 LAST OUT”. Ripken also signed his name in silver marker on the barrel above the tape and inscribed “96 ALCS “LAST OUT””. This bat comes directly from the personal collection of Cal Ripken, Jr. and a signed LOA from Cal will accompany this bat. There is also a LOA from PSA/DNA (1B24139) for the game use and has been given the highest possible grade of GU 10. Additionally, there is a LOA from Resolution Photomatching, who have photo matched this bat to the final out of the 1996 ALCS on October 13th, 1996.

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