Designer of Mantle bat dies

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif., June 8 (UPI) -- Eddie Malone, a former baseball player who helped design Mickey Mantle's bat, has died in Laguna Hills, Calif., at age 85.

Malone, a scrappy 175-pound catcher who had his best playing days in the minors, succumbed to a long battle with respiratory illness.

He is credited with helping to design Hillerich & Bradsby's Louisville Slugger M110 model baseball bat, still a popular model, the Los Angeles Times said. The bat has a medium-size handle and barrel and a large knob.

Malone played for the Chicago White Sox in 1949 and 1950, but he was best known for his years with the Los Angeles Angels and the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League. His best season was 1949 when he hit .341 for the PCL Angels.