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A Different Kind of Game-Used Rainbow

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Juan Gris

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Some of you may be familiar with my Adam Dunn card collection here on FCB but I also collect Dunn game used bats, helmets, baseballs and lineup cards. I enjoy doing research on everything, trying to pinpoint the date of manufacture, the season of use and (when I'm lucky) the exact games in which the bats saw action. Many of my favorite items are those which I can photo-match to MLB games, such as this Louisville Slugger:
FCB Bat 1.jpg

I began searching for online images featuring this bat after I received it years ago. There aren't a ton of Dunn batting photos from his 2001 rookie season, especially when compared to the number taken of each player today. I was able to find some high-resolution photos for each of these 3 Getty Images, all of which appear to be from the same at-bat (October 4, 2001 against Kerry Wood at Wrigley Field):
Getty Combo Images.jpg

As you can see in these side-by-side comparisons, my bat and the bat in the photos are one and the same:
FCB Bat Match.jpg

As far as I know, this is the only bat photo-matched to Dunn's 2001 rookie season. Not long after I matched the bat I saw this signed 8x10 MLB authenticated photo come up for sale on eBay:
I13 Picture Autograph.jpg

"What does this have to do with baseball card rainbows?" some of you are wondering. Well, that 8x10 photo was hanging on my wall last year when I looked up from a 2015 Topps First Home Run Adam Dunn card and realized they were using the same image on the card! I subsequently put together that whole set:
First Home Run Card FCB.jpg

Not wanting the fun to end there I searched COMC and eBay for another card where my bat is pictured and found it on 2002 Upper Deck Ballpark Idols #188 ! The image is slightly different than the 3 photos from Getty Images but, based on the positioning of fans in the background, it was taken by the same photographer during the same at-bat:
UD Ballpark Idols FCB.jpg

In all of its glory, a different kind of game-used rainbow:
I13 Bat with Cards.jpg
 

AnthonyCorona

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Awesome! That's crazy dedication!

Collecting: Phil Bickford, Brandon Wood (still), Yankees and Rockies
 

Juan Gris

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Thanks, everyone. Putting the pieces together is a labor of love in this hobby.

While Dunn is seen using a different bat on the 2002 SP Authentic Chirography cards (presumably a black Louisville Slugger I13 model) the photo was taken during the same game at Wrigley. You can match all of the people in the background, most of which are now wearing rain ponchos. Dunn was known to use multiple bats during a single game but it's possible my bat was broken in between card photos:
2002 SP Authentic Chirography #AD, 044 of 348 FRONT.jpg
 

mouschi

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Excellent - well done!
 

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