The Stuart Surridge bat is signed in ball point pen with the inscription "Good Luck, Bert Sutcliffe" on the back.
The bat is owned by Otago Boys' High School golf master and Otago Daily Times golf writer Bill Trewern and is being auctioned to raise funds for his school's golf team to play in the world schools tournament in Stellenbosch in South Africa next April.
"There are ten boys from school going on the tour and each one has to find $6500 for all of the travel and tournament expenses," Trewern said.
For Trewern's 12th birthday, his father Jack took him into the Sutcliffe and Cederwall sports shop in Princes St to buy the bat.
Sutcliffe autographed the bat and wished Trewern good luck for his cricketing career.
But it was not to be as the youngster became absorbed by golf.
"There were some pretty quick bowlers around and not much padding in those days and I remember coming home battered and bruised after facing the late Jim McDonald in the nets.
"And so the bat, which is in mint condition, had little use. I grabbed it from my parents' home when I got married in case I had a son.
"I wish I had also taken my collection of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck comics as they would now fund the entire trip for everyone."
Trewern hopes some sporting memorabilia collectors may be interested in the bat which is one of many items to be auctioned.
