The evidence that Pete Rose apparently corked at least one of the bats he used while pursuing Ty Cobb’s all-time hit record sent collectors scampering to their memorabilia rooms in search of game-used Rose bats. Then, they headed for the nearest medical facility.
A report on Deadspin.com earlier this month revealed that a California collector had x-rayed his PR4192 Rose bat and found a big, rectangular chunk of cork in the barrel. Photographic evidence suggested it had been used in July of 1985. Bill Schubert had it authenticated and told local TV stations after getting it back that he had no plans to sell, despite an immediate jump in value.
Now, CBS Sports’ Trent Rosecrans writes in his MLB Facts and Rumors blog that two other Cincinnati area collectors took their bats to a local surgery center where technicians x-rayed them to see if they, too, contained cork. The result was negative.
Rose is promising he didn’t cork his bats–at least those he used in his hometown.
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