I got an e-mail recently asking about the presence of the ® registered trademark symbol next to Johnny Bench’s name on a bat from 1977. I looked this up and found it became a registered trade mark of Hillerich and Bradsby on November 2nd 1976. This also got me thinking about some bats I had seen from the 1973-75 labeling period that have the TM (trade mark) on the knob of the bat in conjunction with the model number. This being the case, I decided it might be worthwhile looking through Registered Trademark information available through the U.S. Patent Office to see what else I could find.
Player Names as Registered Trademarks
Johnny Bench
Filing Date: February 17, 1976
Registered Date: November 2, 1976
Pete Rose
Filing Date: September 28, 1978
Registered Date: September 11, 1979
George “Babe” Ruth
FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19180916
Filing Date: October 4, 1920
Registered Date: September 20, 1921
David Parker
Filing Date: July 18, 1979
Registered Date: April 21, 1981
Jim Rice
Filing Date: July 18, 1979
Registered Date: April 28, 1981
Bat Markings
125
FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19120101
Filing Date: October 19, 1925
Registered Date: March 2, 1926
* This is almost four years before currently accepted information shows the 125 as appearing within the center brand. If it was not being used as part of the center brand, where and when was it being used for? My next question is what has served as the basis for placing the 125 as not being used as part of a center brand until 1916?
POWERIZED
FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19311027
Filing Date: November 5, 1934
Registered Date: February 19, 1935
* Going by this information for first commercial use on October 27th, 1931, bats bearing this would have first been used during the 1932 season as the last World Series game in that year was played on October 10th 1931.
Model Numbers
K55
Filing Date: April 27, 1973
Registered Date: April 30, 1974
* If TM appears with the model number on the knob, it is from after the registered date and not a bat from 1973.
R17
Filing Date: April 27, 1973
Registered Date: April 30, 1974
* If TM appears with the model number on the knob, it is from after the registered date and not a bat from 1973.
S2
Filing Date: April 27, 1973
Registered Date: April 30, 1974
* If TM appears with the model number on the knob, it is from after the registered date and not a bat from 1973.
M110
Filing Date: July 27, 2004
Registered Date: November 15, 2005
T141
Filing Date: October 20, 2004
Registered Date: December 20, 2005
I13
Filing Date: October 20, 2004
Registered Date: January 31, 2006
P72
Filing Date: July 27, 2004
Registered Date: February 7, 2006
C243
Filing Date: July 27, 2004
Registered Date: March 21, 2006
As always collect what you enjoy and enjoy what you collect. If you have a question you think I might be able to help out with, please feel free to drop me a line at DaveGrob1@aol.com.
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