Louisville Slugger Model Numbers

In 1905 Honus Wagner, a star for the Pittsburgh Pirates, signed a contract with Hillerich & Bradsby co. and became the first player ever to endorse a bat. His autograph was also the first to be used on a bat and the first known professional athlete endorsement of a retail product. Ty Cobb signed with the company in 1908. By 1932 The list of player endorsements grew to about 747, as listed in this 1932 Louisville Slugger Catalog.

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Signature model retail bats were supplied in assorted lengths and an inch mark was stamped into the knob. "Inch Mark" is a term used with baseball bats referring to the number stamped into the knob of the bat indicating the length. This is placed there on store model bats to assist the buyer in identifying the length. Inch marks are not model numbers which indicate the specifications of the bat used by a noted player, and were only supplied by order.

In 1943 Louisville Slugger began stamping model numbers into the knobs on professional player model bats. The system was based on the first letter of the player's last name. Babe Ruth's bat model, for instance, was R-43; he was the 43rd player with a last name beginning in "R" to have a bat model named for him. Ted Williams used a W-148. With some of the more common names such as "Brown" a player might have a B-378.

But players might also use a bat made popular by another player. One of the most popular bats of all time an S-2 model was first made for Vern Stephens who batted .286 with it in a good but not great, 15 year career. Mickey Mantle used his version of a K-55 which was first used by Chuck Klien, who hit 300 career home runs, including 43 in 1929. Following is a partial running list of popular player models.

A99 Hank Aaron
A132 Garret Anderson
B278 Johnny Bench
B298 Sal Bando
B360 Jeff Bagwell
B367 Jeremy Burnitz
C235 Nate Colbert
C243 Rod Carew
C253 Jeff Conine
C271 Jose Cardenal
C331 Carl Crawford
C352 Rico Carty
D188 Adam Dunn
G174 Jason Giambi

G175 Jeremy Giambi
H359 Josh Hamilton
I13 Mike Ivie
JH5 Josh Harrison
K55 Chuck Klein
M110 Mickey Mantle
M159 Stan Musial
M272 Eddie Murray
M275 Eddie Murray
M343 Edgar Martinez
M356 Edgar Martinez
O69 Spike Owen
O78 David Ortiz
P72 Leslie W. Pinkham*

P339 Kirby Puckett
R17 Jackie Robinson
R43 Babe Ruth
R161 Frank Robinson
R226 Ivan Rodriguez
R237 Manny Ramirez
S1 Wes Schulmerick
S2 Vern Stephens
S44 Mel Butch Simon
S318 Reggie Smith
T85 Marv Throneberry
T141 Gene Tenace
W215 Ted Williams
W273 Dave Winfield

NOTE: P72 Leslie W. Pinkham* - Louisville Slugger created the P72 model in 1954 for Leslie Wayne Pinkham. It became one of professional baseballs most popular bats. Hall of Famers Cal Ripken Jr. and Robin Yount are among the players who have used the P72 over the years. On September 24, 2014 Louisville Slugger did something that it’s never done in its 130 years in the game. It retired a bat model in honor of a player. In an unprecedented display of respect and admiration from a sporting goods manufacturer, Louisville Slugger Retired Derek Jeter’s famous P72. In it's place the bat was renamed DJ2 in honor of Jeter.

In 1976 Louisville Slugger moved the Model numbers from the knob to the barrel, and placed after "Genuine" on professional model bats. If your bat has the size stamped into the knob such as 34 for a 34 inch bat, it is a store model bat. Other examples of an inch mark would be single digit numbers; 3, 4, 5, would be 33 inch, 34 inch, and 35 inch. Little League bats will use higher numbers; 8, 9, 0, indicating 28 inch, 29 inch, and 30 inch.

When letters proceed the number like MM4 or PR5 it is indicating the player autograph model initials followed by the size, In this case MM4 Mickey Mantle 34 inch, and PR5 Pete Rose 35 inch. As Stated in a 1967 H&B catalog; Know Knob Markings "All Nos. 125, 125 Flame tempered, 125S, 125S Flame tempered, are marked on the face of the knob with initials of autographing player and length such as MM-4 is Mickey Mantle autographed bat, 34 long MMS is Mickey Mantle special autographed bat, 34 Long."


K-55 Model Number Bat Knob Stamp	MM4 Mickey Mantle 34 inch bat Knob Inch Mark	4 - 34 Inch Bat Knob Inch Mark

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