'Antiques Roadshow' in Iowa: Grimes woman almost sold nearly priceless Jackie Robinson bat for $1
The baseball gem made its way into the home through a special connection the woman has with Robinson.
The baseball gem made its way into the home through a special connection the woman has with Robinson.
The baseball gem made its way into the home through a special connection the woman has with Robinson.
Sue McEntee nearly sold a priceless piece of baseball history at a garage sale more than a decade ago.
McEntee, of Grimes, admits she had no idea the old bat she had marked with a $1 price tag once belonged to Jackie Robinson, who in 1947 became Major League Baseball's first Black player.
She was shocked when Bruce Scapecchi, an antique dealer and garage sale enthusiast, asked her for a pencil and used an experienced garage sale treasure hunter's trick to show her what she had.
"He rubbed the pencil (on the barrel of the bat), and all of a sudden, the word Jackie Robinson appeared," she said.
From the "Robinson Style" print on the bat's barrel and the larger knob at the end, the man knew McEntee had something special.
"You need to put this in the house and hide it somewhere because you have a gem," Scapecchi said.
The baseball bat was a hidden gem — it had been used by the legendary Robinson — and that gem made its way to McEntee's home through a family connection.
"My uncle played baseball with him in the late 40s for the Brooklyn Dodgers," she said.
Joe Hatten, who was born in Bancroft, Iowa, pitched in the majors for seven seasons and spent over five on the team with Jackie.
And they weren't just teammates.
"If there were times that somebody was asked to room with Jackie, Uncle Joe was the one who would do that," McEntee said. "And he did so without any second thought."
Now, years later, McEntee brought the bat to "Antiques Roadshow" at Living History Farms in Urbandale. And after telling one of the show's appraisers about the bat, they made their decision.
"He talked to a couple other appraisers that went on for about 45 minutes, and then they chose us to be taped for the show," she said.
She learned that, in its current condition, the bat is worth between $15,000 and $20,000.
She said it could be valued at five times that amount if she cleaned it up.
But McEntee said she has no plans to sell the bat.
Instead, she's keeping it for future generations to enjoy.
"I think of all my cousins who will enjoy hearing this story and understanding that a piece of our family continues to be a part of history," she said.
McEntee said she was told the episode featuring her and the bat could first air in January.
From 2013: Rare Jackie Robinson baseball bat nearly sold at Iowa garage sale for $1