HILLERICH & BRADSBY CO., 1953

Jackie Robinson’s import to the sport of baseball and American culture cannot be overstated. The regard in which he is held by society seems to increase exponentially over time with each generation gaining a better understanding for the struggles endured and their importance to our society as a whole. Game used artifacts from Robinson are revered at the highest level by collectors and historians alike with a very small population having become available within the public marketplace. Offered is an outstanding Jackie Robinson professional model baseball bat dating to the 1953 National League season with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Louisville Slugger 125 model bat may be specifically documented within Hillerich & Bradsby factory ordering records to the 1953 season, as it was the only year Robinson requested the O16 model which remains prominently stamped on the knob end. The bat specifications of 34.5" in length and 32.5 ounces in weight align perfectly with the aforementioned factory records with Jackie placing three orders in 1953 for O16’s: August 23, September 22 and September 23. Importantly, the original faded "42" is visible on the knob end in black paint denoting Robinson's fabled uniform number coveted by collectors alike with scant few surviving examples. Expert John Taube characterizes the use as "heavy," noting multiple ball marks and stitch impressions on the barrel. Mentioned for accuracy, the initials "CEG" are written in green ink on the knob and properly addressed within the PSA/DNA letter, "unrelated to Robinson or the Dodger team, and placed on the knob by a subsequent owner." One of the more outstanding Robinson game bats to have been offered within recent years and among a dwindling population that are infrequently available to the collecting public. Includes LOA from PSA/DNA (GU 9): EX