With the onset of the U.S. involvement in WWI in 1917,
Washington Senators owner Clark Griffith launched a plan
to support our troops by raising money to purchase
athletic equipment, mainly baseball gear, to outfit every
U.S. military training camp. Inspired by Washington
Senators owner Clark Griffith, the effort to donate
sporting goods was joined by the YMCA, Hillerich & Bradsby,
and Spalding. Baseball was considered essential to morale.
The Y.M.C.A. shipped 144,000 bats and 79,680 balls to the
troops overseas with the money raised by Griffith.
The 1917-1918 Hillerich & Bradsby baseball bats with
the triangular Y.M.C.A. Logo features the "Dash Dot Dash" center
brand from the 1916 - 1929 H&B bat Labeling Period.
Baseball Bats in excellent condition will range in value
from about $150. for a common player such as Walter Holke
to about $3,500 for a Hall of Fame player like Ty Cobb.
Other players that have shown up in auction include:
George Sisler, Tris
Speaker, Eddie Collins ($280.-$425) and Joe Jackson
($3,321.) Player endorsed bats found with the YMCA logo are identical to
professional model bats from the same era which were known
to be used during major league games. .
1916
- 1929 Top:
LOUISVILLE
SLUGGER
125
CENTER:
HILLERERICH & BRADSBY Co (Dash-Dot-Dash)
BOTTOM: LOUISVILLE
K.Y.
OUTSIDE OVAL BOTTOM
TRADE MARK REG US PAT OFF
