When I was growing up and living in Binghamton, New York, I use to go to Johnson Field in Johnson City and see the Triplets play baseball. the Triplets were the farm club of the New York Yankees. I would stand outside the ball park and wait for a foul ball tip that would go over the back stop and into the parking lot so i could get into the ball park by giving the ball to the attendent. After i was about 14 years old, i was asked by the park manager if i wanted to put runs up on the left field score board to get a free admission to any game. I did this a few times and got some free passes. Once a year the New York Yankees would play an exhibition game at the ball park. I think the year was 1952 when they came in May or June and i used my paas to get into the game. I sat behind the visiters dugout(Yankees) and watched the game. Most of the big name players were there including Mickey Mantle. A number of bats were broken or cracked during the game including some by Mickey Mantle. After the game I asked the ball boy who i knew to give me one of the least damaged bats to take home.He gave me one that he said Mickey Mante used during batting practice. He said the Yankees came on a bus and did not bring all their bats to the game and used some of theirs. When I got home I repaired the crack with some finishing nails, re-taped it and used it a couple of times. I got a new bat shortly after and put this one aside, it was too heavy. I still have this bat today. It is a Louisville Slugger 125 powerized 35" long bat with a 'BINGHAMTON' stamp on the barrel. I know the park had a equipment room full of different size bats. Is this bat worth anything? |