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1908-1910 Wee Willie Keeler Game Used Bat (PSA GU8)
This game-used Spalding Gold Medal Autograph Model Wee Willie Keeler bat is the only one known to exist. Diminutive Hall of Famer Wee Willie Keeler used it bat to "hit 'em where they ain't," one of the many phrases he coined that have become a part of the baseball lexicon. Keeler was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1872. He began and ended his major league baseball career with the New York Giants, playing his first game with them on September 30, 1892 and his last on September 4, 1910. During the intervening years, Keeler played for a number of teams including the American League New York Highlanders/Yankees. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. One of the smallest players to ever play in the major leagues, Keeler nonetheless amassed a string of hitting achievements that few can ever hope to approach. A .341 lifetime hitter during a career that spanned 19 seasons, Keeler had 2932 total hits and, in 1897, compiled a 44-game hitting streak that has only been surpassed by Joe DiMaggio's streak in 1941. Between 1893 and 1900 Keeler had over 200 hits in eight consecutive seasons, a record just broken this year by Ichiro Suzuki. Standing only 5' 4 1/2" tall, Keeler used one of the smallest bats in major league history, and he was one of the first players to sign an endorsement contract with Spalding in 1908. This Spalding Gold Medal model Wee Willie Keeler bat is among the rarest of all professional model bats, and one of only two Keeler bats that have been graded (the other is a Louisville Slugger). It dates from between 1908 and 1910, the labeling period for the Spalding Gold Medal bat and the final few years of Keeler’s career. The bat is made of ash with a standard finish, measures 30.5", and weighs 37.6 oz. It is uncracked and shows evidence of outstanding use, with many ball marks visible on all sides of the barrel. The bat's finish is original; the top barrel was painted black after it left the factory, probably by the player as was common during that time frame. There are several depressions in the barrel, and a small cross is carved into the knob. PSA is aware of only one other Wee Willie Keeler professional model bat in a private collection, and that one is a Louisville Slugger. This is likely the first time that a Keeler game used bat has been offered at auction. This 100-year-old bat was graded an outstanding GU 8 by PSA/DNA, and is truly a magnificent acquisition for the discerning collector.
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