19645

1973 Hank Aaron Home Run # 704 Game Used Bat

Currency:USD Category:Sports - Cards & Fan Shop / Sports - Game Used Memorabilia Start Price:17,000.00 USD Estimated At:20,000.00 - 30,000.00 USD
1973 Hank Aaron Home Run # 704 Game Used Bat
<B>1973 Hank Aaron Home Run Number 704 Game Used Bat.</B></I> According to the experts at MEARS, this is the only photo-documented Hank Aaron home run bat, and what a bat to do it! The historic lumber comes to us by way of a Montreal resident who, in his younger years, was afforded the extraordinary opportunity of serving as bat boy for teams visiting the Expos' Jarry Park. On August 18, 1973, the team in his dugout was the Atlanta Braves, featuring an aging but still dangerous slugger named Hammerin' Hank Aaron. Early in the game, with Expos ace Steve Rogers on the mound, Aaron homered, this signature model Hillerich & Bradsby A99 in his hands. A photograph, interestingly shot by the father of Hall of Fame NHL goalie Martin Brodeur, pictures Aaron jogging back to the dugout after his round trip and shaking the hand of our consignor, who holds the bat in his left hand. In Aaron's subsequent at-bat he swung at an inside pitch and opened a thin crack that runs through the center brand. No longer of any use to the Home Run King, the bat was given to the young bat boy with Hank's compliments. This story is recounted in the bat boy's included letter of provenance, which joins the photo noted as well.<BR><BR> While we are certain that the bat was used to club Aaron's 704th, the tremendous use and deeply imbedded lace marks suggest a strong possibility that other homers were launched into history by its battered barrel as well. MEARS describes use and ball marks as "Heavy," noting bat rack and cleat marks as well, and minor dead wood on back of barrel from the intense punishment. They also note "Perfect 44 both ends," describing the markered identifiers, and that the thirty-five inch length and thirty-three ounce weight are exact to Aaron's specifications. Losing only half a point due to the handle crack that compelled Aaron to make this bat a gift to a young Canadian, MEARS blesses this important artifact with a grade of A9.5. And when was the last time you saw a 700+ home run bat? We can't remember one either... <I>LOA from MEARS.</B></I> <BR><BR><B>Important notice:</B> Heritage usually auctions material at the rate of 200-250 lots per hour. On some occasions eBay Live bid software or the Internet may not be able to keep up with the pace of the auction. We recommend placing a realistic absentee bid now as insurance to avoid disappointment. Occasionally the auctioneer may eliminate or reject an eBay Live bid, and the auctioneer may also reopen a lot after the close of the eBay live bidding (usually because we missed an audience bid), and may reject your bid even if it shows you as the winning bidder. By bidding via eBay Live, you agree that Heritage may award the lot to another bidder at its sole discretion under the circumstances described above or any other reasonable circumstances. Since eBay bids are not shown to us until we open the lot on the floor, we treat those bids just like floor bids. In most cases the floor responds before the eBay bid is presented to us, due to Internet lag time, so for consistency we have made it a policy that floor bids are always considered first over tie eBay live bids. Also please note that all Heritage lots purchased through eBay Live carry a 22.5% Buyer's Premium. Please make sure you read the Terms and Conditions before you bid. This lot is being auctioned in conjunction with a live floor auction by Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers. All final auction and invoice information will be supplied by Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers, and all other information should be considered preliminary. Lot:19645 <BR><BR><B>Winning Notification and Billing:</B> After the FINAL session in this auction is complete, Heritage will send e-mail and snail mail invoices. This process normally takes several days. All final auction and invoice information will be supplied by Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers, and all other information should be considered preliminary. <BR><BR>This auction will be conducted on a live auction floor and over the Internet through eBay Live. If you choose to place an absentee bid, please take a moment to <font color='#0000ff'><u><a href='http://pages.ebay.com/liveauctions/help/before/laabsentee.html'>learn how eBay Live absentee bidding works</a></u></font><font color='#000000'>