Shoeless Joe’s bat sells for 583G
Shoeless Joe Jackson’s game “Black Betsy” bat, one of two known to survive from his career, has sold for $583,500.
Christie’s says it went to an online bidder Wednesday on the first of a twoday auction of baseball memorabilia.
The items come from the National Pastime Museum, an online museum based on a private collection of baseball artifacts, photographs and memorabilia.
The “Black Betsy” bat is the only one with Jackson’s full signature in script stamped into the barrel. Jackson was illiterate, but did sign his name on occasion.
Jackson was accused with other Chicago White Sox teammates of accepting payments for throwing the 1919 World Series. The major-league great was acquitted at trial but still banned from the sport.
The auction record for a game-used baseball bat is a 1923 Babe Ruth bat. It sold for $1.2 million in 2004.