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Maybe your best friend waited around the park before the game and was handed a cracked gamer, or you went to a baseball card show and some dealer had two or three bats standing up like umbrellas in a old team logo trash can or maybe you just saw a card with a chip of wood on it and wondered what the whole bat would cost when the card was offered for $500. In any case you're hooked and looking to learn about collecting lumber. Before you buy anything, get yourself educated and learn your A-B-C's (About Bat Collecting). What follows will give you the basic industry terms and some pointers on what to look for.

A great source of more thorough and detailed information is a recently published book by Vince Malta and others entitled "Bats." This book is a fabulous resource for all bat collectors concerned with the many of the finer points of bat collecting such as bat dating (i.e., did Yaz use this bat during his triple crown year? The labeling on the bat may reveal whether this is possible). To learn more about the book visit the DEALERS & MERCHANDISE section of the web site.

I also highly recommend a review of articles written by Tim Lee in the periodical Sports Collectors Digest. Tim currently writes a column entitled "The Equipment Manager" that reviews many of the modern bat manufacturning trends as well as answering questions posed by collectors. He has been a godsend to all collectors of bats with his investigation and writing over the past two years. Sports Collectors Digest is a weekly periodical available on many large newsstands.

Game Used: Simple concept with varied interpretations. Some would define this strictly, requiring the bat to be used by the player in a major league game. Others loosely, meaning a bat that shows use, any use. A proper definition falls somewhere in between. Unless you have unimpeachable provenance for the bat it will be virtually impossible to meet the most difficult standard. However, "game used" should include situations where a major league player uses a bat such as in batting practice and exhibitions.

Ball Marks: More recently the balls manufactured by Rawlings have been labeled with an ink that will rub off when struck by a bat, leaving the color on the bat. American League balls are marked with blue ink while National League balls have black ink. We have seen instances where you can actually read Rawlings (backwards of course) on the bat. Also, when a player uses a soft bat you can sometimes see indentations from the stitching on the ball.

Barrel: The area of the bat near the end where the player name, and oftentimes model number, is typically found.

Barrel Separation: Oftentimes when the bat has been heavily used the back of the barrel will begin to separate along the grain of the wood, essentially beginning to split apart. Usually this is not apparent from looking at the front of the bat and therefore does not affect display.

Block Lettering: A term used for the lettering of the player's name on the barrel of the bat. On most LVS bats the player name is a facsimile signature of the individual player. However, on other bats, and on LVS bats where the player is not under contract, the player's name will be in large block capital letters.

Centerbrand: Found in the center of the bat, the centerbrand is where the manufacturer typically places its logo. Some manufacturers will burn the logo into the bat, hence the name centerbrand. However, more recently, many bat manufacturers have begun to "screen" the logo onto the bat in a complex process of glues and layers of finish. The non-branding manufacturers claim that the brand weakens the bat and makes it more prone to cracking.

Cleat Marks: When a player knocks the dirt out from his cleats with the bat he will often leave indentations on the barrel of the bat where his metal spikes came into contact with the barrel. Also, if a player meticulously polishes his cleats, you may see some boot black on the barrel too.

Cracked: Again a simple concept with many different meanings. At its most basic this means a bat with a crack in it. However, because the degree of cracking will affect both the price and the presentation you should try to define the extent of cracking.

Cupped End: In more recent times manufacturers have begun to carve out the ends of bats to lessen the weight of the bat by an ounce or two while keeping a large barrel.

Knob: Found on the end of the bat it can vary in size and shape depending on what the player orders.

Knob Number: To be distinguished from a manufacturer's marking, the knob number is affixed by the equipment manager or the player on the knob (and sometimes the barrel end of the bat) in marker. The number typically is the player's uniform number, although this is not always the case. (Rumor is that some star players put different numbers on the knob to discourage theft). The purpose of the knob number is simple, the marking enables the bat to be removed from a bat rack when the barrel of the bat is not visible.

Model Number: On older LVS and all RAD bats the model is stamped into the bottom of the knob. On newer LVS and many other manufacturers' bats, the model number is found in this area of the bat.

Pine Tar: Many players, but certainly not all, apply pine tar to the handles of their bats to increase the grip on the bat. This can give an otherwise typical bat an interesting look. Also, pine tar on an older bat (say from the 60's) will have hardened and will be very dark in color. In contrast, on newer bats, the pine tar will be lighter and probably still sticky. A word of caution, pine tar is an easy way to make an unused bat look used so beware of uncracked bats with heavy pine tar and little use. Pine tar typically will build up over time so the more use, the more pine tar the bat will have. Also, pine tar is sometimes used to cover bat repairs. The best way to avoid such pitfalls is to know the tendencies of the player which you can observe at the park or on TV.

Rack Marks: The bat racks in many ballparks will be painted with colors that oftentimes will scrape off onto the bat when it is placed within and removed from the rack. For years Fenway bats had a familiar greenish scrape mark.

Shaving: Oftentimes players will shave the handle to lessen the weight of the bat. This is done with a straight blade plane that will scrape flat surfaces onto the handle up through the barrel of the bat. Where the manufacturer's label is screened on it will often be scraped off when the bat is shaved.

Bats emerge from the ballpark in all different ways. Some are sold directly to dealers of baseball bats and equipment, some come from batboys and some are auctioned for charity. Most are very affordable. A collector can begin a bat collection with a small budget but still obtain the bat of the average player who may have performed above average in his or her presence. (Juan Beniquez hit a game winning home run the first game I ever attended and it was a thrill when I obtained his bat, even if the purchase price was $15).

When you finally locate the bat you have been looking for it is important to temper your excitement and be thorough in your purchase. You may just think that you send the check and get the bat but it is extremely important to be prepared and ask the questions necessary to make sure you will be happy with your ultimate purchase. Any bat collector will tell you there is nothing worse than purchasing a bat that you pictured looking one way and then receiving it and having it be totally different -- everyone has these horror stories. Perfection is impossible, but here are some tips for the beginner:

Good Luck Collecting !!!