(LOT 24)
1961 Willie Mays All-Star Game-Used Bat PSA/DNA GU 8.5
The 1961 New York Yankees were all the rage as Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris vied for Babe Ruth's single-season home run record of 60 dingers. But they weren't the only game in town, so to speak, despite actually being the only New York club. San Francisco's Willie Mays (40) and Orlando Cepeda (46) were also testing the fences of ballparks in the National League, and each was named a starting outfielder in the pair of All-Star contests in '61 alongside Pittsburgh's Roberto Clemente. What an outfield! Arguably the best player of his time, Willie Mays had already posted a four-home-run game and was sitting on 23 homers when the first All-Star Game was played at his home field of Candlestick Park. Mays batted .400, drove in the game-tying run and then scored on a single from Clemente to win the game for the NL 4-3 in the 10th. In the second All-Star Game played at Fenway Park, played 20 days later, Mays, now with 29 dingers, went 1-for-3 with a walk before the game was called a tie 1-1 due to rain.

Though the Say Hey Kid only led the NL in runs scored in 1961, he did garner his fifth of 12 straight Gold Gloves. He would win his second NL MVP Award in 1965 at 34. Presented here is a 1961 All-Star Game-Used Willie Mays M63 Adirondack bat from one or both of those All-Star games and possibly used into the second half of the season. The classic Adirondack bat stamping is mid-barrel with "1961 All-Stars" and Adirondack name "Willie Mays" name etched at the barrel end. The standard M63 model number has been pressed into the butt end of the handle. Assessed GU 8.5 by PSA, this 35-inch and 31.3 oz. ash bat presents extremely well with light pine tar at the middle of the handle, multiple stitch marks and cleat impressions along the barrel. PSA/DNA has opined that this historic bat offers "excellent game use... with identifiable player use characteristics." What a superb offering of the greatest five-tool player in MLB history's lumber! This should be on the radar of any and all game-used bat enthusiasts and certainly All-Star Game bat fans!

MIN BID $5,000
_