If you’re looking for a unique piece of baseball history—or collecting evidence of the anger issues caused by rampant steroid usage—you missed out on a gem.
According to Jim Baumbach of Newsday.com (h/t Matt Snyder of CBSSports.com), the broken bat Roger Clemens infamously hurled at Mike Piazza during the 2000 World Series sold at auction for a cool $47,800 this weekend.
While the buyer preferred to remain anonymous, the item’s seller was former New York Yankees strength coach Jeff Mangold, who claims he saved the broken bat from disposal and kept it as a souvenir.
“I’ve had it for 13 years, mainly in the office here at the house,” Mangold told Baumbach. “It’s time for it to move on.”
Mangold says Piazza’s Mizuno Pro bat still has Yankee Stadium dirt embedded in it from Clemens throwing it across the field.
Of course, the Yankees pitcher famously said he never meant to throw a shard of wood at Piazza in the first place.
Clemens claimed he thought the broken bat barrel was the ball, which makes sense considering throwing it at the baserunner is the quickest way to force an out, or something.
On the bright side, the shattered bat once thrown with ill intent will now be used for good. Mangold says he plans to donate a portion of the auction profits to the CJ Foundation for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and use the rest to pay for his children’s college tuition.
Indeed, a product of the former Clemens-Piazza feud is helping sick infants and putting kids through school. Now, it’s time for Sammy Sosa’s corked bat to step up and do its part for the rain forest.
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