1883 L. C. Dole & Co. "Ring" Bat Belonging to Yale Team Member Samuel M. Chase

Sold For:

$1,860

Year:

1883

Auction:

2021 Spring

Lot #:

2503

Category:

Pre-1900 Baseball Memorabilia

Baseball bat, manufactured by L. C. Dole & Co., of New Haven, Connecticut, used by Samuel M. Chase in 1883. This bat was one of three belonging to Samuel Chase, a member of the Yale baseball team, Class of 1883, that first appeared at auction in 2018. All the bats originated from the Chase family and were marked or lettered on the barrel in vintage ink. This particular example, which is a "ring bat," bears the remnants of a paper label on the barrel that reads "S. M. C./Y. B. C." (Samuel M. Chase/Yale Baseball Club). The bat displays evidence of heavy use along its entire length, including numerous ball marks on all sides of the barrel and a slight three-inch crack in the handle. The manufacturer's label remains perfectly legible in the center, but the black painted bands or "rings" that border it (two on each side), have faded slightly. A lathe mark appears on both the knob and top of the barrel, with the barrel lathe mark having widened significantly over time. Documented game bats dating from the 1880s are rare and this is an exceptional example used by a member of one of the most prominent college teams of the era. Length: 35.5 inches. Weight: 27 ounces. The size/weight of this item requires that there will be an additional shipping charge for this lot. Reserve $300. Estimate (open).