My next door neighbor works for Louisville Slugger, and he told us about all they have going right now:
In addition to the factory tour and seeing the exhibits in the museum, be sure to see our film, visit the batting cages (Jake is big enough to hit in there), and take the little guys to the Small Ball area (a kids area with a batting tee). Jed and Luke can take some cuts in there! We also currently have an amazing art exhibit on Negro Leagues Baseball that is enhanced with some great pieces of history including items from Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Roy Campanella, and Satchel Paige. In the museum, be sure to visit the Hold a Piece of History exhibit where you can hold a game used bat swung by Mickey Mantle in games in Yankee Stadium in the early 60’s. We also have a Johnny Bench gamer and ones from current players David Ortiz and Evan Longoria.
So we went, and it was a trip to remember. If you’re in Louisville (or just passing through) you should try to get by there. Not least because you can hold Mickey Mantle’s bat. Here we are with it:
Louisville Slugger is exemplary for their generosity. In response to a question I asked earlier this summer, my neighbor wrote:
On the baseball side, we’ve focused on reaching as many kids as possible by doing broad scale sponsorships of USSSA, Little League, etc., on a national level. We also put a lot of our dollars into disadvantaged youth programs through the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, MLB RBI Programs, the Reds Community Fund and, locally, the West Louisville Warriors club. We provide all of these organizations with equipment. The kids these groups support wouldn’t have any gear at all to play ball with if it were not for our assistance. For example, we recently donated 500 baseball gloves to disadvantaged kids in Cincinnati. We also just sent about $50,000 (retail) of bats, gloves, batting helmets, etc., down to Nashville to support flood victims who lost their equipment in the May flood.
Thanks to Louisville Slugger for their work, for a great experience, and thanks neighbor for the good info!
More on the museum here.
That is too cool! I notice you are wearing white gloves. I assume the museum staff make you wear the gloves to help protect the bat.
You got it on the white gloves. They don’t want the oil on people’s hands affecting the wood . . .
These batters looking intimidating—especially the last two!