Civil War Bat?

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Civil War Bat?

Postby softball66 » February 13th, 2014, 10:10 am

Comments on this ebay bat that is LONG, to say the least, but relatively light. Pine? Would enjoy comments. Who's to say it is civil war era. Murph has commented on the bat on Net54
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-1860s-Civi ... 4ad0191b67
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Re: Civil War Bat?

Postby theglovester » February 13th, 2014, 7:33 pm

Well, while looking at the bat in question, I have had an epithany :shock:

Years ago I donated a self-propelled turning lathe to a local museum that was used here on the farm in the 1850's. Where the wood attaches to the blank to be turned, it leaves it's finger print, unique to each turning lathe. while checking turned table legs here at the farm that were turned on the same lathe to the bat in question, they match!! There for I am 99% sure that the bat originated in East Tennessee and was turned from a tree that was growing while Daniel Boone was exploring this area and shot a bear in 1775, possibly from cover of the tree the bat was turned from.. There is more, family lore says that Cpl. W.C. Droke took said bat from East Tennessee to Vicksburg Mississippi via horseback to fight the yankee invaders. Running short on powder at Champions Hill, he yielded the bat to repel the yankees, until it splintered. Then in the ways of Andrew Jackson at the battle of New Orleans, (Jackson grabbed an aligator and we pulled another round) Cpl. Droke wrapped the bat with baling wire and continued the fight until outnumbered 15 to one. The bat was taken as a war trophy by the Blue Bellies and has now finally resurfaced.

Seriously, I have no Idea on the bat, definitely an oldie, but dang that is a great tale, bet believable by some :roll:

take care, Drokester
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Re: Civil War Bat?

Postby theglovester » February 13th, 2014, 7:39 pm

UHH...If I can prove said tale, can I call Dibs????
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Re: Civil War Bat?

Postby softball66 » February 16th, 2014, 9:17 am

Don, I didn't know you could play an epiphany. :P
I understand the Rebs used shorter and more accurate bats.
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Re: Civil War Bat?

Postby theglovester » February 16th, 2014, 2:28 pm

Well I knew I should have opened the dictionary and looked up how to spell epiphany, only use the word around Christmas time...Yeah cabin fever kicked in and I rambled on and ON AND ON....Once I introduced myself as Aristiotle Droke at a re-enactment to visitors to the camp...Some one has to be the Brains of the outfit...Trying to figure out a gravity powered Ice cream maker for summer events...

Papaw said his favorite bat when he played was made of Willow..seen some advertised back in the day, maybe the bat was Willow and lashed to keep it from splintering.. That there is Aristotle Droke Thinking!!

Keep me in your thoughts...got a bunch of Pregnant females running around the farm and ITS TIME!!

Hey Joe, Spring training for reds...UGH, Latos tears knee playing catch, WTH?? found it funny the Japanese pitcher couldn't run poles after pitching, got tired!!! at 24???
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Re: Civil War Bat?

Postby murphusa » February 18th, 2014, 10:53 am

Even after that story and also that it sold for close to $400.00, I still do not think it is a bat but a household/farm tool. Most of the willow bats had very large handles. This items handle was very thin and would not be able to take the weight of the early baseballs for more than one hit.
Hell Bent for Leather
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Re: Civil War Bat?

Postby theglovester » February 18th, 2014, 9:51 pm

Well, anything that gets us talking is a good thing..And I can spin a yarn on a snowy day :lol: .

it looks batty, so does a Cant Hook handle... guess if the buyer thinks it's an old bat, then it's an old bat. Great for him!!

Funny there ain't anything that looks like a PM Pepper Martin floating around :cry:

Good luck gloving, nothing has really knocked me in the throttle lately...but fun looking.
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Re: Civil War Bat?

Postby softball66 » February 20th, 2014, 5:14 pm

Murph could be right about it maybe not being a bat. I'm trying to figure out, if it is, what's the function of the wires around
the barrel. Someone suggested that it was cracked and this was holding it together. But still the length is awfully long and the
willow makes it light. And why tied to the Civil War timing?
I've got a 42 inch bat that I haven't weighed but it IS heavy and not sure of the wood it's made from.
:?:
Glovester just an FYI, I saw Pepper Martin play, BUT he wasn't the real Osage Pepper Martin. I have NOT seen one of his his model gloves in person.
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Re: Civil War Bat?

Postby theglovester » February 21st, 2014, 1:25 pm

Guys keep looking for the elusive Rawlings PM Pepper Martin for me, why Pepper Martin, well I started trying to collect all the Rawlings gloves that were identified soley by letters. MM-Mantle, Marion, RR Rolfe, EM mathews, VBM Vinegar Bend etc.. and lost interest... The Dean DD Spalding, my initails...was why I coveted it.

And after reading about Pepper Martin, I liked his approach to the game, a Gas House Gang member, and spells Horse "Hoss" in his nickname!! Kinda hard being a Reds fan n collecting Cardinals stuff, but thats ok, and a top line Rawlings.

Helpful hint to young or starting out collectors----Don't tell your wife you want a PMS model...Playmaker supreme, to much explaining and she wont believe you anyway..
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Re: Civil War Bat?

Postby softball66 » February 22nd, 2014, 7:26 pm

Uh oh! Those stamped features on the gloves. Don reminded me of the guy who bought the Nokona Joe Jackson glove
and wrote, "why does it say 'Greased Palm'" on there? He signed it:
"An Edge-U-Cated Heel!
8)
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