This is the final installment in this week's three-part series on Indians.com going behind the scenes to get a glimpse of the team's growing history archives. The stories feature the collection of items from recent seasons, the creation of the Bob Feller exhibit and what the future holds for the team's collection. Today: Looking back for the future.
CLEVELAND -- There had to be a reason someone saved the bat. The black barrel was intact, but the handle was gone, probably splintered away by an inside heater. A unrecognizable signature was carved into the wood, which was found in a pile of other old items in a room inside Progressive Field.