1931 Lou Gehrig Louisville Slugger Advertisement

Sold For:

$510

Year:

1931

Auction:

2020 Fall

Lot #:

2081

Category:

Post-1900 Baseball Memorabilia

In the early 1930s, the Hillerich & Bradsby Company, makers of Louisville Slugger bats, developed a process to reduce checking (grain separation) on its bats. The newly treated bats were marketed by the company as having been "Powerized," and that word appeared as a separate stamping above the center brand on all its bats beginning in 1931. In 1932 only, the company added the stamping "Powerized and Bone Rubbed" to its bats. When it came time to advertise its new "Powerized" bats, H&B turned to one of its most celebrated customers, Yankees slugger Lou Gehrig. In this rare Hillerich & Bradsby advertisement, Gehrig endorses the new line of bats. The design features a photo of Gehrig in a batting pose, along with his glowing endorsement: "Lou Gehrig says: 'That new finish certainly has made your bats the best. . . I have been using one bat for over five weeks now, with no signs of checking, and the driving power increasing as the bat ages and is drying out. I sincerely hope and know you will keep up the splendid service I have been receiving." A date stamp of "Sep 12 1931" appears along the base and the year "1931" is also written in vintage blue ink near the left border. Those markings, along with the fact that this advertisement is printed on onion skin, leads us to assume that it is either a proof or a file copy. While we have never seen the actual advertisement in print, Lou Gehrig himself mentioned at least one such example during his testimony as a witness in the 1933 legal case Hillerich & Bradsby vs. Hanna Manufacturing Company. In his testimony, Gehrig states that this advertisement appeared in the May 1932 issue of The Sporting Goods Dealer, and he quotes the advertising text. The advertisement (11 x 17 inches) displays a number of horizontal and vertical folds, light creases, and tiny tears along the edges and at the center of the fold lines. In Very Good condition overall. The size/weight of this item requires that there will be an additional shipping charge for this lot. Reserve $300. Estimate (open).