Bill Dickey
Much like professional model bats of fellow standout catcher Mickey Cochrane, Bill Dickey gamers are amongst the toughest bats in the entire hobby. They are also considered very desirable since Dickey, a fantastic offensive player, was a key figure on the great New York Yankee teams of the late-1920s through the early-1940s. Interestingly, Dickey’s bats are far tougher to find than those used by several of his legendary teammates, such as Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth.
Dickey had signature model, H&B bats produced throughout his career, signing an endorsement contract with the company in the spring of 1928. Like some players of the period, Dickey served in the military in the mid-1940s but came back for a brief time in 1946. That playing career gap and the fact that Dickey coached for the Yankees after 1946 is important to note for collectors. There are Dickey coaching-era bats that may be mistaken by some for playing career gamers in the marketplace.
During Dickey’s playing days, the Hall of Fame catcher was one of the few players whose bats had a very distinct appearance based on the way they were prepped for game action. There are two key characteristics to look for on Dickey gamers.
First, Dickey applied a very unique taping method to the handle of his bats. Dickey would often place two small, but fairly thick, ringlets of tape near the base of the handle with slight gaps between the two ringlets. This taping method can be seen in many vintage photographs and is a key bat preparation characteristic for Dickey. On rare occasions, Dickey can be seen holding a bat with three ringlets, but two was clearly the norm. Secondly, Dickey often hit with the label facing downward, causing most ball contact marks to appear on the left barrel.
William Malcolm Dickey (June 6, 1907 - November 12, 1993) is known for his strong and accurate arm as well as his masterful handling Hall of Fame caliber pitching staffs that included Hoyt, Pennock, Ruffing and Gomez. Though overshadowed offensively by his larger-than-life teammates Ruth, Gehrig and Lazzeri, Dickey had impressive numbers like a career .313 batting average, 1,969 hits, 202 home runs and 1,209 RBI over his 17 seasons with the New York Yankees. Bill Dickey was a part of nine American League championship teams in New York and won eight World Series titles. Bill Dickey was an 11-time All-Star selection, a 14-times World Series champion as a member of the Yankee organization and was a mentor of the next generation of Yankee Hall of Fame catchers in Yogi Berra who shared his #8, which the Yankees retired in both of their names in 1972. Dickey’s hard nose playing style got him a 30-day suspension when he broke Senator Carl Reynolds’ jaw with one punch after a collision at the plate. William Malcolm Dickey was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1954.
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PSA Price Guide
Approximate Value: $25000
Important Notes:
- (a PSA/DNA GU 9.5, 1941 Bill Dickey bat sold for $35,000 in 2016)