Rawlings (Adirondack)
As with Louisville Sluggers, there are some key traits that differentiate pro model Rawlings and Adirondack bats from retail bats. In general, Adirondack pro bats had "302" in the center label from 1946 through 1983, and "P302" from 1984 to 1989. If it has another number, such as "302F" or "288," it almost certainly is a store bat. The pro bats are made with superior quality wood, but unlike Louisville Sluggers, they've always been foil stamped, not branded.
The knob of a pro bat will have a model number ending in "A," "B," "S" or sometimes "V." The "A" means the bat is 35" long; "B" equals 34"; "S" denotes a special, shorter bat; and "V" was sometimes used for 1/2" lengths. Some recent players have models that include their initials, such as Mark McGwire's "MAC 25" or Mike Schmidt's "MS 20." If a bat has "C," "D" or another letter after the number, it likely is a retail bat. Store bats also can simply have length marks, like "35" or "5."
Beginning in 1980, Adirondack began stamping a new code into the knob under the model number. A three-digit batch number was followed by a space and a one-digit number. That digit denoted the year of production -- for example, "3" meant 1983. Beginning in 1990, two digits were used to differentiate dates from the 1980s.
Once you have an idea whether your bat is a pro model or a store model, the next step is to identify the era the bat was used. Through the years, many collectors have researched bat markings and bat ordering records, trying to determine which markings were used in different years. While there typically is no perfect way to date a bat, there are general guidelines collectors can use. On this site, guidelines for Rawlings/Adirondack pro model bats have been divided into two dating periods:
