Roberto Clemente is probably one of the most revered baseball players of all time. He ended the 1971 season by entering the exclusive 3000 hit club and flew off into history, a legend for all times and the second player in which the five year rule was waved for his induction into Baseball’s Hall of Fame (the other being Lou Gehrig). This is a study of the bats used by Clemente during his illustrious career.
Roberto “Momen” Clemente signed his Louisville Slugger contract on March 23, 1954. He was 18 years old, listing his home address as San Anton Carolina- Puerto Rico for the Montreal club as an outfielder. He signed his name Momen Clemente for the way he wished his name to appear on his bats but signed the contract “Roberto” His compensation is listed as one set of 4 Woods and one set of 9 irons to be sent to Max Macon (to forward). His first listed bat is a model M117 ( Stan Musial’s model of 7-19-44) 35”, 34 oz and sent to “Home.” These are the details of his original Louisville contract along with witnesses and personal information.
As for the use of “ Momen” on his bats, there is no record of when that was switched to “Roberto” but the 1960 World Series bat that we examined used the “Momen” name and we have never examined a post 1960 bat that was not stamped “Roberto” so we will use this as our time line for the switch. That is not to say that there could not be a time lapse or run over on these models as they were made all year long and often stored before shipment and may or may not have been stamped or finished. In addition to Louisville Slugger bats, Clemente used a number of Adirondack models as well but for this discussion, we are only going to examine, year by year, his H&B models. We will cover bats from 1966-71 in my next column
1954
First ever bat shipment was on 4-13-54 M117 35”-34 oz. (2) Ash bats New Auto.
Totals as listed;
M117 – All 35” – 33-34 oz. – 10
M117L (large knob) – 32 oz. – 6
S46 (Les Scarsella 7-19-39) – 34 oz. – 6
S2 (Vern Stephens 8-25-43) – 33oz. – 4
Total bats shipped in 1954 : 26
1955
S2 (6-34.5”) rest 35” – 33-34 oz. – 36
Total bats shipped in 1955: 36
1956
S2 ( 34.5”-35”) – 31-33 oz. – 44
Total bats shipped in 1956: 44
1957
S2 (34”-35”) – 31-32 oz. – 56
Total bats shipped in 1957: 56
1958
S2 (34.5-35”) – 32-34 oz. – 92
U1 (Bernie Uhalt 5-16-42) 35” – 34 oz. – 6
Total bats shipped in 1958: 98
1959
S2 (34.5-35”) – 32-33 oz. – 68
U1 (34.5”) – 32 oz. – 12
D114 (Bob Diers 7-7-55) 35” – 32oz. – 10
The first mention of Wide Grain (WG) appear in 1959
Total bats shipped in 1959: 90
1960
Last year in which documented “Momen” Clemente was used on barrel.
S2 (34.5-36”) 1st year of 36” bats – 32-33 oz. – 56
U1 (35”) – 32-33 oz. – 18
World Series bats not mentioned yet known examples are so marked (typical).
Total bats shipped in 1960: 74
1961
S2 (35-36”) – 32-33oz. – 21
U1 (35-36”) – 33-35oz. – 30
K55 (Chuck Klein 4-30-35) 36” – 33-34oz. – 13
The single shipment of a K55 model on 7-6-61 is first mentioned All Star shipment
O16 (Mel Ott 6-20-29) 36” – 33oz. – 7
This is the first year for shipments of both the K55 and O16 model to Clemente
Total bats shipped in 1961: 71
1962
O16 (36”) – 34-36oz. – 24
This includes two single shipments for the two All Star games held that year
U1 (36”) – 33.5-35oz. – 72
This includes two single shipments for the two All Star games held that year
First mention of Flame Burned Finish (FB)
B193 (Ed Bailey) 36” – 34oz. – 8
First mention of Flame Burned Finish (FB)
Total bats shipped in 1962: 104
1963
This is the first year in which marked weights appears on records (MK Wts)
Also, first year as follows;
FOR CLEMENTE, ASSORTED MODELS –C12, M110, H176, K48 12
(no mention as to his name on barrel, length, weights, etc)
ANOTHER , ASSORTED MODELS FOR CLEMENTE 12
(no models listed )
U1 (34.5-36”) – 32-35oz – 117
S2 (34.5”) – 32oz. – 6
K55 (34.5”) – 32oz. – 6
O16 (36” only) – 32-36oz. – 49
All Star shipment 7-5-63, U1 36”-34oz. (2) included in above totals
Total bats shipped in 1963: 202
1964
O16 (36”) – 34-36oz. – 14
U1 (36”) – 34-37 oz. – 74
S2 (36”) – 36oz. – 4
(last shipment of S2 models)
G105 (Tom Glaviano 3-17-54) 36-37” – 34-37oz. – 41
This is the first shipment of this model as well as the first 37” bats.
All Star shipment 7-1-64 U1. 36”-36oz. (2) included in above totals
Total bats shipped in 1964: 133
1965
O16 (36”) – 33-36oz. – 30
U1 (36”) – 34-37oz. – 102
G105 (36”) – 35-36oz. – 24
Total bats shipped in 1965 : 156
TOTAL BATS SHIPPED TO CLEMENTE 1954-1965: 1090
This does not include any Adirondack bats.
This total includes the assorted shipments in 1963 that may or may not have had his name burned in as this fact is not mentioned.
Were there is no mention of All Star, nothing is recorded that year.
Clemente used only one model bat from 1955-57, the S2 Vern Stephens model.
One has to wonder about the odd assorted models sent to Clemente in 1963. To my knowledge, none of those odd models i.e. C12, K48, or H176 have ever surfaced bearing his signature. It is highly likely that one of those models would have surfaced which leads me to believe that the assorted odd models sent that season where not stamped with his name on the barrel. It would be quite a find if someone did turn up a bat so marked. I hope these type of articles gives you a better understanding of the way in which bats were made and shipped. Until next time, David Bushing