Joe Pepitone suing Hall of Fame for return of famed bat

Joe Pepitone, a former New York Yankees player, has filed a lawsuit against the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, requesting the return of Mickey Mantle’s Louisville Slugger bat, which he used to hit his 500th career home run more than 50 years ago. 

Pepitone is also seeking compensatory damages of at least $1 million in an 11-page lawsuit filed this week in federal court in upstate New York. According to the lawsuit, the bat is today worth over $500,000. Pepitone consented to lend the bat to the Hall of Fame “with the understanding and upon condition that it would be returned to him at any time upon his request,” according to the lawsuit. Pepitone claims he has visited the Hall of Fame numerous times since then, and that museum employees have always assured him that the bat will be returned whenever he desires. 

The bat was donated to the Hall of Fame, which has owned it for more than 50 years.

In a statement, the museum added, “The Hall of Fame has preserved it and proudly put it on display for millions of fans to see.”  “This bat is where it belongs; on display in Cooperstown for fans everywhere to see.” on display for all baseball fans to see.” 

When Mantle blasted a pitch from the Baltimore Orioles’ Stu Miller into the right-field bleachers at old Yankee Stadium in May 1967, he was reaching the end of his Hall of Fame career. Mantle requested to use a lighter bat than his signature model to produce bat speed, according to the lawsuit, and Pepitone agreed after hitting a home run the previous inning.

Pepitone claims the bat was taken from his locker after the game without his knowledge or consent before he agreed to loan it to the museum, which took possession a few days later. The lawsuit also says that Pepitone asked for the bat last September and the Hall of Fame rejected that request.

According to Pepitone, he gave Mantle his Louisville Slugger before the pinstriped superstar became the first switch-hitter in baseball history to hit 500 home runs against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium on May 14, 1967. 

The 10-page Utica Federal Court petition stated, “After Mantle’s home run, Mantle returned the Bat to Pepitone. Pepitone brought the Bat into the Yankees locker room and placed it in his locker. The Bat, on the other hand, was taken out of Peptone’s locker without his knowledge, agreement, or consent.”

A club official allegedly grabbed the bat and later asked Pepitone if he would “allow the bat to be loaned to the museum in recognition of his friend Mantle’s monumental achievement,” according to court documents.