A circa 1930s game-used Mel Ott bat was stolen at the National Sports Collectors Convention on Thursday.
Scott Foraker, a collector, had purchased the bat just a few weeks ago, during Hunt Auctions' 2012 All-Star Game Auction in Kansas City and had brought it to Baltimore to turn it over to PSA-DNA for grading. With the buyer's premium, the bat's purchase price was $48,300.
Foraker dropped it off at the booth of JT Sports' John Taube (541P, 545P), PSA's bat authenticator, who reported it missing Friday morning.
Here's the original description from the auction catalog:
Fine Mel Ott professional model baseball bat c. 1930s. Louisville Slugger 125 model bat measures 35" long and weighs 33.2oz. The bat shows exceptional use including ball marks, stitching impressions, and handle scoring. The handle also has a professionally restored crack. Hillerich & Bradsby manufacturing stampings and facsimile signature impression on barrel both remain very strong. Mel Ott game bats rank as among the most difficult to obtain from the members of the vaunted 500 Home Run Club to obtain with this particular example rating among the finest to have been offered at public auction.
If you see the bat for sale either in person or online, contact Taube at JT Sports either by email (jtbats@aol.com) or by calling his office (609-487-8003).