Dodgers: Jackie Robinson Bat Fetches Record Price at Auction
Any Jackie Robinson memorabilia is pretty special, and also, valuable. Which makes sense. Robinson owns a special place in both baseball and American history. After all, Jackie broke MLB's color barrier back in 1947.
So when Robinson's bat from the 1949 All-Star Game at Ebbets Field when up for auction, sports collectors knew it was going to sell for an impressive price.
According to ESPN's Dan Hajducky, the bat sold at auction for $1.08M. It's not the most expensive bat ever sold at auction, but it's quite uncommon for a bat to sell for over a million. Babe Ruth's bat from his first home run at Yankee Stadium sold for about $1.27M. Hajducky notes that No. 42's bat was purchased by Hunt Auctions at the bequest of a private buyer.
Included with the bat was a letter of authenticity from Rachel Robinson, Jackie's wife.
Jackie would go on to win the 1949 NL MVP that season. He was one of four Dodgers to finish in the top ten that season along with Pee Wee Reese, Carl Furillo, and Don Newcomb.
Robinson beat out Cardinals slugger Stan Musial to earn MVP honors.
Robinson led the NL in batting average (.342) and all of MLB in stolen bases (37). For the non-traditionalists stat heads out there, Jackie led all position players in WAR (9.3) and finished second in on-base percentage (.432).
The Dodgers finished the year with 97 wins and won the National League pennant. They would lose to the Yankees 4-1.
