Ash wood, air seasoned — the Hillerich & Bradsby oval centerbrand stamped cleanly on the barrel: Louisville, Model 225LU, Made in USA, Kentucky. The handle wrapped in black tape, worn to a smooth compression. The knob carries an inked initial, LC — someone's name, someone's bat.
At just under 29 inches, this is an intermediate-size bat, the kind turned for a younger player working toward a full swing. The wood is sound. The grain runs true.
It stands on its own as a piece of Americana — the kind of object that anchors a summer still life without asking for explanation.
Hunter's Notes
A third bat from Steel City, and that's the point. Some things are meant to be gathered — three bats leaned against a wall, or crossed above a mantle, or standing in a crock by the back door. I always work in groups. This one is the quiet one of the set: no famous name, just the maker's mark and someone's initials on the knob. Louisville Slugger. Air seasoned. That's enough.
The Archive Record — JLM-260070
| Field |
Detail |
| Maker |
Hillerich & Bradsby Co. (Louisville Slugger), Louisville, Kentucky |
| Object |
Intermediate-size baseball bat; Model 225LU; Air Seasoned; store model; display object |
| Material |
Air-seasoned ash wood; black tape handle wrap |
| Construction |
Lathe-turned air-seasoned ash; oval centerbrand stamp; black tape handle; inked knob initials LC |
| Era |
circa 1950s–1960s | confidence: attributed |
| Country of Origin |
United States |
| Condition Tier |
Good |
| Condition |
Honest age wear; centerbrand oval legible; black tape compressed and worn; knob initialed LC in ink; wood sound |
| Hunt Provenance |
Steel City warehouse sale, Pittsburgh, PA — June 2026 |
| Authentication |
Oval centerbrand legible; Model 225LU and Air Seasoned designation confirmed; aging consistent with 1950s–1960s |
| Comparable Sold |
$25–$55 (eBay sold listings — June 2026) |
| JLM Price |
$42.00 |
| Food Safe |
No |
| Lead Risk |
No known lead risk |
| Child Safe |
No |
Product Specs
| Dimensions |
Weight |
| 28¾"L × 2¼"W × 2¼"H |
1 lb 11.6 oz |
