Using this Louisville Slugger P72 model bat, Hall of Famer and baseball’s Iron Man Cal Ripken, Jr. hit his 500th career double on June 22nd, 1997. Facing Robert Person of the Toronto Blue Jays, Ripken got an RBI double in the top of the first inning scoring Brady Anderson. Ripken would add another double in the game as the Orioles defeated Toronto 5-2 at SkyDome. Four days later, facing Roger Clemens, who would win the Cy Young Award in 1997, Ripken would use this bat for the last time when it was broken during one of his four at-bats in the game. This bat displays outstanding game use and has a large crack on the handle. There are ball marks, blue ink transfers and checking or grain swelling from repeated ball contact present on the barrel. There is a light coating of pine tar on the lower barrel and Ripken added a piece of athletic tape affixed to the barrel that has been labeled “500th Double Bat Also Broken By Clemens 6-22-97 6-26-97”. Please note Ripken inadvertently put the wrong date on the 500th double game and wrote over the second number. This bat comes directly from the personal collection of Cal Ripken, Jr. and a signed LOA from Cal will accompany this milestone bat.

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