Garage sales are far from boring. In fact, they’re exciting. Apart from the low prices and the interesting stories behind the items, they are full of surprises. You’ll never know what you’re going to find in a garage sale!

Bruce Scapechhi has a passion for garage sales.

In fact, he considers himself a veteran in the field. He frequents garage sales and usually finds himself attending up to five thousand garage sales each year.

He’s always had a knack for finding rare items.

One summer day, he decided to drive around a suburban neighborhood to look at a garage sale. Sue McEntee happened to arrange one that day.

After noticing Sue’s little garage and the items she’s selling, Bruce decided to stop, park his car, and check them out.

It didn’t take a long time for him to notice an old, wooden baseball bat lying on the floor. For someone who’s inexperienced in garage sales, it might seem like an ordinary wooden baseball bat. There’s nothing extraordinary about it. In fact, it was just lying with other aluminum bats.

Bruce had a “different” feeling about it.

Trusting his instinct, he went up to the owner and asked for the bat’s price. Sue said that he can get it for a dollar. Unable to believe the price she gave, he asked her if she’s sure about it.

Sue wondered why Bruce asked that question.

It was odd. For her, it was just an ordinary baseball bat. She couldn’t think of any other reason why the man had to ask if she was sure of the price.

As an experienced garage sale hunter, Bruce could have just walked away and taken advantage of the situation.

Thankfully, he didn’t. Instead, he asked Sue to bring him a pencil. She started feeling curious so she did exactly what she was told to do.

Bruce took the pencil and rubbed the graphite on a specific spot on the bat.

After a few seconds, they both saw an engraving. It was the name of the bat’s original owner. Even before the test was done, Bruce already recognized the name. He just wanted to be extra sure before he shares his finding with Sue.

Bruce explains:

“The unique grip of the bat was Jackie Robinson’s style.”

For those who love baseball, the name’s an icon. Jack Roosevelt Robinson is considered as the first African American to play in modern era’s Major League Baseball.

How did the baseball bat end in the garage sale?

Sue had an explanation for this. She shared:

“My Uncle Joe Hatten played for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was called Lefty Joe. He played baseball in the ’40s with him.”

Sue’s explanation surprised Bruce even more.

Joe Hatten played for the Brooklyn Dodgers back in 1947. It seemed that he used to be close to Jack and was given the bat at some point.

Fortunately, with Bruce’s help, the bat will stay with Sue’s family. The bat was definitely worth more than a dollar. It’s a family treasure that deserves to be kept for years.

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Source: Spotlight Stories, YouTube