(This story originally appeared on www.sportsdaily.com)

It was scheduled to end Thursday night, but the phone kept ringing.  Past midnight, through the wee hours of the morning, beyond breakfast, past lunch and after dinner.  Finally, MEARS officials decided that the fun had to end.  7 p.m. New Year’s Eve would be the official end of the company’s latest auction.  When it was over, new records were set for the Milwaukee-based company, paced by the sale of a 1920s autographed Ty Cobb game used bat.

1925 Ty Cobb game used, autographed batSigned by Cobb while he and his Detroit Tigers were on their way to Boston by train in 1925, the bat sold for $113,303.75.  According to MEARS’ Troy Kinunen, it is  a record price for a Cobb bat, with the previous record being $95,620 for a model Cobb once presented to fellow big leaguer Joe Sewell.

Consigned by the grandson of the man to whom Cobb presented the bat, it’s the only Cobb signed bat known.  Cobb also added the date and “Lake Oscawana” inscription.  His handwriting has been authenticated by JSA.

MEARS indicates the bat includes tobacco juice stains and is consistent with bats ordered by Cobb during the mid-1920s.

Vintage game-used bat were a staple of the auction and several others commanded prices into the thousands.

A 1914-1 Honus Wagner pro model Kork-Grip bat sold for $21,300.  According to MEARS, it’s the earlies Wagner signature model bat ever offered.

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