| Bio/Key Stats |
|
| Key Characteristics |
|
| Knob Markings |
|
| Cal Ripken Jr |
| #8 |
| Hall of Fame Bats |
| Specializing in All Eras of Professional Model Game Used Bats |
| Updated July 25th, 2009 |
| Established in 2006 |
When searching for a Ripken bat, there are several characteristics that typically did not change with Cal over the years.
However, there are several that did change to one degree or another. Just like Cal was the man of 1000 batting stances, he
did change some things about his game bats.
The typical Ripken game bat will be a 35 inch LS his preferred model especially later in his career was the P72 which he is
most known for however he did experiment with other models before settling on the P72 from the end of the 80's through
the end of his career. Other models of note are M159, F149, S188, M110, R161, M253, and Rawlings Adirondack. Most of
the other models with the exception of the S188 that was used in the early 90's and late 90's on several occasions were used
during the earliest stages of Cal's career through the late 80's. Ripken bats show typical use patterns of light to moderate
pine tar on the handle, and knob, usually extending about 12 - 16 inches up the handle. Often there will be a light coat of tar
around the center brand as well. There have been occasions where Cal has used heavy coats of tar on his game bats as well
but this seems to be the exception rather than the rule. I have also seen examples of Ripken game bats with taped handles,
again, generally this appeared to be during the early stages of his career for the most part.
In terms of writing on the knob of the bat, I have seen virtually everything with Cal's knobs. Bats with nothing on the knob,
bats with a simple 8 his uniform number of course, bats with an 8 circled, bats with an 8 and dashes at the top and bottom of
the 8, bats with and 8 and sun ray lines running out from the 8 in each direction, bats with an 8 plus the bat weight in maker,
pen or pencil on the knob, bats with only the weight on the knob. Common theory holds that Cal stopped putting his number
on the knob so that people could not readily identify it as his bat without pulling it from the rack due to the high occurrences
of theft that were happening especially as he moved from star to superstar to HOF player throughout his career.
Cal's bats are often identified with cleat marks especially on the back barrel hammering the bat. Cal often would tap his
cleats with his bats leaving cleat marks on the barrels that are a common characteristic.
I have often been asked this question, did Cal use 34 inch bats. While there is no way to know definitively whether he did or
not as 34 inch LS bats do show several times in his ordering records in the mid 80's, the common theory is that Cal ordered
these for his brother Bill Ripken in order to obtain Bill better overall wood. Anyone considering a 34 inch Ripken bat should
look closely at the overall use characteristics of the bat to make sure that they match Cal's use characteristics.
Cal was generally know to be very protective of his equipment, bats, uniforms, etc. As he became more of an icon it is a
known fact that he eventually had his own locker room kept on lockdown to keep his equipment from walking out the back
door. Because he was so protective, really solid Ripken game used bats are often difficult to obtain.
Additional items to look for on Ripken bats are ball marks, seam marks, stitch impressions, rack marks particularly on the
back barrel of the bat usually starting right above the center brand and extending up the barrel of the bat. This would
typically also include the right barrel of the bat. Many of the Ripken bats I have handled also feature small handle cracks. In
my experience Cal generally used bats often until they cracked.
In terms of the finish for Ripken bats, Cal seemed to prefer a darker finish bat as evidenced by the heavy numbers of Walker
two-tone unfinished handle with a hickory barrel and later black bats from 91 on that Cal used. While he did use some
unfinished, flame treated, natural bats these were generally used during the earlier stages of Cal's career with virtually every
order from 1991 through the end of his career being P72 black finish with the exception of a couple of orders of S188's in 99 -
00 in a natural finish. Several theories exist that Cal felt that the fielders had a more difficult time picking the ball up coming
off of his darker finish bats.
However, there are several that did change to one degree or another. Just like Cal was the man of 1000 batting stances, he
did change some things about his game bats.
The typical Ripken game bat will be a 35 inch LS his preferred model especially later in his career was the P72 which he is
most known for however he did experiment with other models before settling on the P72 from the end of the 80's through
the end of his career. Other models of note are M159, F149, S188, M110, R161, M253, and Rawlings Adirondack. Most of
the other models with the exception of the S188 that was used in the early 90's and late 90's on several occasions were used
during the earliest stages of Cal's career through the late 80's. Ripken bats show typical use patterns of light to moderate
pine tar on the handle, and knob, usually extending about 12 - 16 inches up the handle. Often there will be a light coat of tar
around the center brand as well. There have been occasions where Cal has used heavy coats of tar on his game bats as well
but this seems to be the exception rather than the rule. I have also seen examples of Ripken game bats with taped handles,
again, generally this appeared to be during the early stages of his career for the most part.
In terms of writing on the knob of the bat, I have seen virtually everything with Cal's knobs. Bats with nothing on the knob,
bats with a simple 8 his uniform number of course, bats with an 8 circled, bats with an 8 and dashes at the top and bottom of
the 8, bats with and 8 and sun ray lines running out from the 8 in each direction, bats with an 8 plus the bat weight in maker,
pen or pencil on the knob, bats with only the weight on the knob. Common theory holds that Cal stopped putting his number
on the knob so that people could not readily identify it as his bat without pulling it from the rack due to the high occurrences
of theft that were happening especially as he moved from star to superstar to HOF player throughout his career.
Cal's bats are often identified with cleat marks especially on the back barrel hammering the bat. Cal often would tap his
cleats with his bats leaving cleat marks on the barrels that are a common characteristic.
I have often been asked this question, did Cal use 34 inch bats. While there is no way to know definitively whether he did or
not as 34 inch LS bats do show several times in his ordering records in the mid 80's, the common theory is that Cal ordered
these for his brother Bill Ripken in order to obtain Bill better overall wood. Anyone considering a 34 inch Ripken bat should
look closely at the overall use characteristics of the bat to make sure that they match Cal's use characteristics.
Cal was generally know to be very protective of his equipment, bats, uniforms, etc. As he became more of an icon it is a
known fact that he eventually had his own locker room kept on lockdown to keep his equipment from walking out the back
door. Because he was so protective, really solid Ripken game used bats are often difficult to obtain.
Additional items to look for on Ripken bats are ball marks, seam marks, stitch impressions, rack marks particularly on the
back barrel of the bat usually starting right above the center brand and extending up the barrel of the bat. This would
typically also include the right barrel of the bat. Many of the Ripken bats I have handled also feature small handle cracks. In
my experience Cal generally used bats often until they cracked.
In terms of the finish for Ripken bats, Cal seemed to prefer a darker finish bat as evidenced by the heavy numbers of Walker
two-tone unfinished handle with a hickory barrel and later black bats from 91 on that Cal used. While he did use some
unfinished, flame treated, natural bats these were generally used during the earlier stages of Cal's career with virtually every
order from 1991 through the end of his career being P72 black finish with the exception of a couple of orders of S188's in 99 -
00 in a natural finish. Several theories exist that Cal felt that the fielders had a more difficult time picking the ball up coming
off of his darker finish bats.
| Information and photos courtesy of Brett Herman |