slugger magazine

8/14/2019 Slugger Magazine

1/13

HOW A 17-YEAR -OLD

CH A N G E D BASEBALL FOREVER

The History of Louisville Slugger

THEYRE THE BEST OF THE BEST

and Theyre Swinging Louisville Slugger

BEHIND THE SCENES

ug

g

e

r


2/13

THERES SOMETHING

VERY SPECIAL about this issue of

SluggerThe Magazine. It is the first issue

ever published, making it a magazine

youll definitely want to hold on to.

In this one-of-a-kind issue, youll learn about

the RICH HISTORY of the worlds oldest,

most legendary batmaker Louisville Slugger.

Youll learn how wood and

aluminum bats are made.

Youll take a PEEK BEHIND THE SCENES

at our bat factory and museum. And youll

pick up a few tips from todays top pros

tips that can help you become a BETTER PLAYER.

So read and ENJOY. And if you want to find out

more about LOUISVILLE SLUGGER,

just log on to www.slugger.com.s l u g g e rTTTT HHHH EEEE MMMM AAAA GGGG AAAA ZZZZ NNNN EEEEVVVV OOOO L LLL NNNN OOOOTH EO F F I C IALMAG AZI NE O F LOUISVILLE SLUGGER .

WWW.SLUGGER.COM

2005 BY LOUISVILLE SLUGGER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO

PORTIONOF THIS PUBLICATIONMAY BEREPRODUCEDWITHOUT

PRIORWRITTEN PERMISSION FROM LOUISVILLE SLUGGER.

PRINTEDIN THE USA.

THEOFFICIALBATOFMAJOR LEAGUEBASEBALL

HOW A 17-YEAR -O LD KID

CHANGED BASEBALL FOREV

THEYRE THE BEST OFTLOUISVILLE SLUGGER BATS .1000

AT LAST THREE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

120 YEARS OF PERFORMANCE TECHNOLOGY

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

BEHIND THE SCENES 5

THE SILVER SLUGGER AWA

HOW WOOD B ATS ARE MADE

HOW ALUMINUM B ATS A

HOW TO CHOOSE A BAT 18

HOW TO BREAK IN A GLO

THE LOUISVILLE SLUGGER MUSEUM

WHERE BASEBALL HISTORY COMESTO LIFE

sl

ug

g

e 6

13

14


3/13

The History of Louisville Slugger

andHillerich & BradsbyLegend has it that Bud, who played baseball him-

self, slipped away from work one afternoon in 1884

to watch Louisvilles Major League team, the Louisville

Eclipse. The teams star, Pete Browning, mired in a

hitting slump, broke his bat.

Bud invited Browning over to his fathers

shop to make him a new one. With Browning

at his side giving advice, Bud handcrafted a

new bat from a long slab of wood. Browning got thr

hits with it the next day. Browning told his teammate

which began a surge of professional ball players to th

Hillerich shop. Yet J. F. Hillerich had little interest

making bats; he saw the companys future

stair railings, porch columns and swingin

butter churns. For a brief time in the 1880

he even turned away ball players.

IN MANY WAYS, the rich, 120-year history of the Louisville Slugger baseball began in the talented hands of 17-year-old John A. Bud Hillerich. Buds father, J

Hillerich, owned a growing woodworking shop in Louisville, Kentucky, in the 188

when Bud began working for him as a 14-year-old apprentice.

Baseball was the nations most popular sport, and legends like Babe Ruth,Ty Cobb and Lou Gehrig swung Louisville Sluggers.

rr

32


4/13

Bud persisted; he saw the future

in bats. His father, pleased with

his sons enthusiasm, relented. Some

120 years and more than 100 million bats

later the Louisville Slugger is the most popular bat

in Major League Baseball.

The secret was that the company would make bats to

a players very specific needs, wishes or superstitions.The finished bats could range in length from 30 to 42

inches and in weight from 30 to even 50 ounces. The

company kept a card file on each of thousands of players,

a practice it continued almost 100 years. The legendary

Joe DiMaggio would weigh his Louisville Slugger on a

delicat essen scale to be sure the weight was right. Ted

Williams couldtell if a bat handle was a quarter-inch

too thick by holding it in his hands.

In 1894, with Bud Hillerich taking over f or his father,

the name Louisville Slugger was registered with theU.S. Patent Office. In the early 1900s, the growing company

pioneered a sports-marketing concept by paying Hall

of Famer Honus Wagner to use his name on a bat a

practice continued by Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods,

teenage sensation LeBron James and so many

other professional athletes in virtually all

sports today.

In 1911, Frank Bradsby joined the

company from a St. Louis hardware

wholesale company, adding his marketing

expertise to Bud Hillerichs manu-

facturing and engineering abilities. In

1916, the company became The Hillerich& Brads-

by Company. By 1923, Louisville Slugger was selling

more bats than any other bat maker in the country. Baseball

was the nations most popular sport, and legends like Babe

Ruth, Ty Cobb and Lou Gehrig swung Louisville Sluggers.By 1940, Hillerich & Bradsby had sold 2,000,000

bats to professional baseball (including the Negro Leagues),

amateur leagues and youth teams. The small-scale Louis-

ville souvenir bats also contributed to overall sales.

During World War II, it switched to producing gun stocks,

potato mashers and police clubs. With the post-World

War II boom, sales climbed to almost 7,000,000 wooden

bats a year by the early 1970s.

That soon changed dramatically when Little League,

high school and college teams changed to aluminum bats.As demand for wooden bats dropped, the company expand-

ed its aluminum bat capacity. Today, Louisville Slugger

dominates in both wood and aluminum bat categories,

with 65% of all Major League players using Louisville

Slugger, as well as six of the past seven national college

championship teams.

So what would baseball be like if young Bud Hillerich

had followed his fathers urging and devoted his efforts

to making swinging butter churns? We dont even want

to think about it.

Some 120 years and more than 100 million bats later the LouisvilleSlugger is the most popular bat in Major League Baseball.

BEHIND THE SCENESAT

LOUISVILLE SLUGGER

WHEN YOU BUY a bat, you probably go to the sporting goods store,

swing a few bats and take home the one that feels best to you. Or

you may simply order your favorite bat over the Internet or from a

catalog. But when youre an MLB player, things are different.

Major League players know exactly what they need in a bat when

its time to face down a 90-mph fastball. For over a hundred years,

Louisville Slugger has worked closely with pro players to craft

bats precisely to their meticulous specifications. And when we say

meticulous, we do mean meticulous. For example,

Ted Williams could notice a variance of just half an

ounce in bat weight. He once complained about

his handle taper being off in a batch of new

bats. When the handles were measured, theyfound that the tapers were off by just five-hundredths of an inch.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF CARD CATALOG.

All those years of crafting wood bats for the games most legendary

players has resulted in some truly interesting pieces of baseball

history. Among these is the Louisville Slugger Card Catalog. This

isnt like the card catalog youll find

in your local library. On these cards are the order spe

dimensions of baseballs all-time greatest hitters. To

later, Louisville Slugger can use these cards to prec

the bats that wrote baseball history.

A PEEK INSIDE THE LOUISVILLE SLUGGER B

Many of the bats made for baseballs legends are sti

just have to know where to find them. Deep within

Louisville Slugger Museum, there

not just everybody gets to see. In

it is the holiest of holies: the Lo

bat vault. Since the early days, Louhas kept bat models turned for the top pros. If you a

enough to find yourself in the Louisville Slugger vau

hold a bat that was actually turned for Mickey Mantle o

in your very own hands.

Who knows? Practice hard enough, and your bat ma

in the vault right beside The Babes or A-Rods. Hey, yo

4 5


5/13

BEFORE THE WORLD SERI ES,

Little League and the rule that said three strikes

mean youre out, a small company in Louis-

ville, Kentucky, was already perfecting the bats that

wouldwrite the history of the game. That bat, of

course, was Louisville Slugger: a name as old as

the game itself, a name forever linked to the games

greatest players and greatest moments.

No other bat in the history of baseball has won more games,

set more records and captured more titles at more levels of play

than Louisville Slugger. From Babe Ruth to Hammerin Hank Aaron

to A-Rod and Derek Jeter, Louisville Slugger bats have been the

choice of champions since 1884, at all levels of play.

TECHNOLOGY THATS GROWN WITH THE GAME.

What makes a Louisville Slugger a Louisville Slugger? Its

something we call performance technology, and its something

youll find in every

Louisville Slugger bat.

From the earliest days until the

present day, Louisville Slugger has always

employed the most powerful technology available in

the bat business. Back in the days of Ty Cobb, that meant

having the most skilled craftsmen at the lathes, handcrafting bats

to the most demanding specifications of the worlds most de-

manding players. Today, it means applying the latest aerospace

technology to bat making, delivering high-tech aluminum and

composite bats that give new meaning to the word performance.

It also means computer-aided crafting of custom wood bats for

unheard-of consistency in meeting top players specs.

A NEW GENERATION OF BATS FOR A NEW

GENERATION OF PLAYERS.

Although wood bats are at the heart of Louisville Slugger,

they currently represent less than 20% of Louisville Sluggers

overall sales revenues. Aluminum is the name of the game at

most levels these days, so the familiar Louisville Slugger oval is

most often found on the barrels of its performance-oriented TPX

and TPS aluminum bats.

TPX, which stands for Tournament Players Xtra-Lite, is geared

toward baseball markets ranging from youth ball all the way

to the collegiate level.

TPS, or the aluminum Tourn-

ament Players Series, is designed specif-

ically for fast -pitch and slow-pitch softball. These

aluminum bats have proven every bit as successful as Loui sville

Sluggers wood bats, making them the choice of a new generation

of ballplayers.

MORE THAN JUST BATS.

Over the past 30 years, Louisville Slugger has gone far beyond

bats, providing performance technology in the forms of fielding and

batting gloves, helmets, catchers gear, equipment bags, training

aids and accessories. In particular, the Bionic series of batting

and fielding gloves incorporates an innovative design that gives

maximum protection

restriction of moveme

a hand surgeon, James M

ours is the first line of gloves

in concert with the human hand.

In addition to its on-field per

ucts, Louisville Slugger offers person

commemorative and collectible bats

coming more and more popular with

want to hold and own

ball his

with fans who simply want

to recapture fond childhood momen

And considering how long Loui

has been around, there are more tha

those moments to recapture.

120

LOUISVILLE

SLUGGER.

120YEARS OF

PERFORMANCETECHNOLOGY

6 7


6/13

T H E Y R E T H E

BESTO F T H E

BEST.AND THEYRE SWINGING LOUISVILLE SLUGGER.

THE LINEUP IS A MANAGERS DREAM COME TRUE andan opposing managers worst nightmare. It is a team composed of

batting champs, Cy Young winners, All-Stars and future Hall of Famers.

Consider this teams infield: Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees;

Nomar Garciaparra, Chicago Cubs; Jeff Bagwell, Houston Astros;

Mike Lowell, Florida Marlins; Derek Jeter, New York Yankees and

Edgar Renteria, Boston Red Sox. And behind the plate is Ivan Rodriguezof the Detroit Tigers.

Roaming the outfield and bringing homerun power to the plate are:

Craig Biggio, Houston Astros; Jim Edmonds, St. Louis Cardinals; Ken

Griffey Jr., Cincinnati Reds and Lance Berkman, Houston Astros.

Need a left-handed designated hitter? Pencil in Rafael Palmeiro from

the Baltimore Orioles. For a right-hande d designated hitter, theres Gary

Sheffield of the New York Yankees.

On the mound, the right-handed starter would be Houstons Roger

Clemens, who has fanned more than 4,000 batters and is arguably one

of the greatest pitchers ever to wear a Major League uniform. From the

left side, fireballer Andy Pettitte, also of Houston. Out of the bullpen

theres ace Billy Wagner of the Philadelphia Phillies.

So what Dream Team have we been building? Is this Major League

Baseballs all-star team the best of the best? A possible all-opponent

team, as voted on by big-league players?

Actually, this is the All-Louisville Slugger Team, composed of Major

Leaguers who use Louisville Slugger products in pursuit of on-fieldachie ve-

ment, whether that is a towering homerun to the upper deck or a sharp

line drive to the outfield gap. Or in the case of pitchers Clemens and

Pettitte, the equipment they view as the be st available in their pursuit to

perfect their craft.

The names are familiar to even the casual baseball fan. Griffey and

Palmeiro are among an elite group of players who have smacked 500-

plus home runs. Rodriguez, the 2003 American Leagues Most Valuable

Player, has averaged 50 home runs a year over the l

Garciaparra has wielded his bat like a magician, whi

career batting average of roughly .320.

These are only a sampling of the Major League pl

Louisville Slugger when taking to the plate or field. An

Bostons Manny Ramirez, Torontos Vernon Wells,

Jones and Seattles Bret Boone.In fact, 17 position players selected to the 2003 M

Star Game make Louisville Slugger their bat of choi

other bat. But that should come as no surprise be

Slugger is the Official Bat of Major League Baseba

Major Leaguers today are Sluggers. And on the m

25% of all Major League pitchers choose a Louisv

series glove.

But then Louisville Slugger has been present

legendary moment in the games rich history. Ever s

Flying Dutchman Wagner of Pittsburgh Pirates fame

Slugger as his bat of choice in 1905 followed by

Cobb three years later Louisville Slugger has been

history was made.

Babe Ruth hit all 60 of his home runs in 1927 w

Louisville Slugger. That record stood until Roger Ma

1961 using a Slugger bat. Hank Aaron hit his rec

home run into the left-field stands in Atlanta with a

and Tony Gwynn captured a record eight Silver Bat

leagues batting champ, swinging a Louisville Slugge

Ken Griffey Jr., in June 2004, joined the 500-homer

to the right-field seats, becoming the sixth youngest p

milestone. A Louisville Slugger was in his hands for th

From The Babe to A-Rod to the College World Seri

best players and the best teams use Louisville Slugge

LOUISVILLE SLUGGER HAS BEEN PRESENT FOR NEARLY

LEGENDARY MOMENT IN THE GAMES R ICH HISTOR

9


7/13

SILVER SLUGGERAWARD WINNERS

2004AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Mark Teixeira, Texas Rangers

2B Alfonso Soriano, Texas Rangers

SS Miguel Tejada, Baltimore Orioles

3B Melvin Mora, Baltimore Orioles

OF Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox

OF Gary Sheffield, New York Yankees

OF Vladimir Guerrero, Anaheim Angels

C(tie)Ivan Rodriguez, Detroit Tigers

Victor Martinez, Cleveland Indians

DH David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals

2B Mark Loretta, San Diego Padres

SS Jack Wilson, Pittsburgh Pirates

3B Adrian Beltre, Los Angeles Dodgers

OF Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants

OF Jim Edmonds, St. Louis Cardinals

OF Bobby Abreu, Philadelphia Phillies

C Johnny Estrada, Atlanta Braves

P Livan Hernandez, Montreal Expos

2003AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Carlos Delgado, Toronto Blue Jays

2B Brett Boone, Seattle Mariners

SS Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers

3B Bill Mueller, Boston Red Sox

OF Vernon Wells, Toronto Blue Jays

OF Garret Anderson, Anaheim Angels


C Jorge Posada, New York Yankees

DH Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Todd Helton, Colorado Rockies2B Jose Vidro, Montreal Expos

SS Edgar Renteria, St. Louis Cardinals

3B Mike Lowell, Florida Marlins


OF Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals

OF Gary Sheffield, Atlanta Braves

C Javy Lopez, Atlanta Braves

P Mike Hampton, Atlanta Braves

2002AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Jason Giambi, New York Yankees

2B Alfonso Soriano, New York Yankees


3B Eric Chavez, Oakland As

OF Magglio Ordonez, Chicago White Sox

OF Bernie Williams, New York Yankees

OF Garret Anderson, Anaheim Angels


DH Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Todd Helton, Colorado Rockies

2B Jeff Kent, San Francisco GiantsSS Edgar Renteria, St. Louis Cardinals

3B Scott Rolen, St. Louis Cardinals


OF Sammy Sosa, Chicago Cubs

OF Vladimir Guerrero, Montreal Expos

C Mike Piazza, New York Mets

P Mike Hampton, Colorado Rockies

2001AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Jason Giambi, Oakland As

2B Bret Boone, Seattle Mariners

3B Troy Glaus, Anaheim Angels


OF Juan Gonzalez, Cleveland Indians


OF Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners



NATIONAL LEAGUE


2B Jeff Kent, San Francisco Giants

3B Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals

SS Rich Aurilia, San Francisco Giants



OF Luis Gonzalez, Arizona Diamondbacks


P Mike Hampton, Colorado Rockies

2000AMERICAN LEAGUE


2B Roberto Alomar, Cleveland Indians

3B Troy Glaus, Anaheim Angels

SS Alex Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners

OF Darin Erstad, Anaheim Angels

OF Manny Ramirez, Cleveland Indians

OF Magglio Ordonez, Chicago White Sox


DH Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox

NATIONAL LEAGUE


2B Jeff Kent, San Francisco Giants

3B Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves

SS Edgar Renteria, St. Louis Cardinals

OF Sammy Sosa, Chicago CubsOF Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants

OF Vladimir Guerrero, Montreal Expos


P Mike Hampton, New York Mets

1999AMERICAN LEAGUE


2B Roberto Alomar, Cleveland Indians

3B Dean Palmer, Detroit Tigers


OF Ken Griffey, Jr., Seattle Mariners

OF Manny Ramirez, Cleveland Indians

OF Shawn Green, Toronto Blue Jays

C Ivan Rodriguez, Texas Rangers

DH Rafael Palmeiro, Texas Rangers

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Jeff Bagwell, Houston Astros

2B Edgardo Alfonzo, New York Mets

3B Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves

SS Barry Larkin, Cincinnati Reds


OF Larry Walker, Colorado RockiesOF Vladimir Guerrero, Montreal Expos


P Mike Hampton, Houston Astros

1998AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Rafael Palmeiro, Baltimore Orioles

2B Damion Easley, Detroit Tigers

3B Dean Palmer, Detroit Tigers



OF Albert Belle, Chicago White Sox

OF Juan Gonzalez, Texas Rangers


DH Jose Canseco, Toronto Blue Jays

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Mark McGwire, St. Louis Cardinals

2B Craig Biggio, Houston Astros

3B Vinny Castilla, Colorado Rockies



OF Moises Alou, Houston Astros

OF Greg Vaughn, San Diego Padres

C Mike Piazza, New York MetsP Tom Glavine, Atlanta Braves

1997AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Tino Martinez, New York Yankees

2B Chuck Knoblauch, Minnesota Twins

3B Matt Williams, Cleveland Indians

SS Nomar Garciaparra, Boston Red Sox

OF Dave Justice, Cleveland Indians





NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Jeff Bagwell, Houston Astros

2B Craig Biggio, Houston Astros

3B Vinney Castilla, Colorado Rockies

SS Jeff Blauser, Atlanta Braves

OF Larry Walker, Colorado Rockies


OF Tony Gwynn, Sand Diego Padres

C Mike Piazza, Los Angeles Dodgers

P John Smoltz, Atlanta Braves1996AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Mark McGwire, Oakland As

2B Roberto Alomar, Baltimore Orioles

3B Jim Thome, Cleveland Indians


OF Albert Belle, Cleveland Indians




DH Paul Molitor, Minnesota Twins

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Andres Galarraga, Colorado Rockies

2B Eric Young, Colorado Rockies

3B Ken Caminiti, San Diego Padres


OF Ellis Burks, Colorado Rockies


OF Gary Sheffield, Florida Marlins

C Mike Piazza, Los Angeles Dodgers

P Tom Glavine, Atlanta Braves

1995AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Mo Vaughn, Boston Red Sox

2B Chuck Knoblauch, Minnesota Twins

3B Gary Gaetti, Kansas City Royals

SS John Valentin, Boston Red Sox

OF Albert Belle, Cleveland Indians

OF Tim Salmon, California Angels

OF Manny Ram

C Ivan Rodrigu

DH Edgar Martin

NATIONAL LEAG

1B Eric Karros,

2B Craig Biggio

3B Vinny Castill

SS Barry Larkin

OF Dante Bichet

OF Tony Gwynn

OF Sammy Sosa

C Mike Piazza,

P Tom Glavine

1994AMERICAN LEA

1B Frank Thom2B Carlos Baerg

3B Wade Boggs,

SS Cal Ripken, J

OF Albert Belle,

OF Ken Griffey, J

OF Kirby Pucket

C Ivan Rodrigu

DH Julio Franco,

NATIONAL LEAG

1B Jeff Bagwell,

2B Craig Biggio

3B Matt William

SS Wil Cordero,

OF Moises Alou

OF Barry Bonds

OF Tony Gwynn

C Mike Piazza,

P Mark Portug

1993AMERICAN LEA

1B Frank Thom

2B Carlos Baerg3B Wade Boggs,

SS Cal Ripkin, Jr

OF Albert Belle,

OF Juan Gonzale

OF Ken Griffey, J

C Mike Stanley

P Dwight Good

NATIONAL LEAG

1B Fred McGriff,

Atlanta Brav

2B Robby Thom

3B Matt William

SS Jay Bell, Pitts

OF Barry Bonds

OF Lenny Dykstr

OF David Justice

C Mike Piazza,

P Orel Hershise

1992AMERICAN LEA

1B Mark McGwi

2B Roberto Alom3B Edgar Martin

SS Travis FrymOF Joe Carter, T

OF Juan GonzaleOF Kirby Pucket

C Mickey Tettle

DH Dave Winfiel

IF YOU COULD PIC K THE BEST OFFENSIVE P LAYERS AT EVERY POSITION, WHO WOULD

YOU CHOOSE? THATS BASICALLY WHAT MAJOR LEAGUE MANAGERS AND COACHES ARE ASKED

TO DO EACH YEAR WHEN THEY CHOOSE THE RECIPIENTS OF THE SILVER SLUGGER AWARDS.

Founded and sponsored by

Louisville Slugger, the Silver Slug-

ger Award is becoming one of the

most prestigious honors in Major

League Baseball.The Silver Slugger Award recipi-

ents are chosen by managers and

coaches from each league. They

are asked to vote on nine players,

one from each offensive position,

based on a combination of offen-

sive statistics for the season.

Batting average, slugging per-

centage and on-base percentage are

all taken into account, as are a play-ers overall performance and value

to his team. Of course, the coaches

and managers are not allowed to vote

for players from their own teams.

Each three-foot tall trophy is pre-

sented by a Louisville Slugger repre-

sentative at one of the r ecipients

home games, usually in April or

May. The trophy is engraved with

the names of all 18 winners fromboth leagues.

Louisville Slugger also sponsors

the Silver Bat Award, presented to the

batting champions of both the Ameri-

can League and the National League.

S L U G G E RA w a r dTHEsil er10 11


8/13

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Fred McGriff, San Diego Padres

2B Ryne Sandberg, Chicago Cubs

3B Gary Sheffield, Sand Diego Padres


OF Barry Bonds, Pittsburgh Pirates

OF Andy Van Slyke, Pittsburgh Pirates

OF Larry Walker, Montreal Expos

C Darren Daulton, Philadelphia Phillies

P Dwight Gooden, New York Mets

1991AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Cecil Fielder, Detroit Tigers

2B Julio Franco, Texas Rangers

3B Wade Boggs, Boston Red Sox

SS Cal Ripkin, Jr., Baltimore Orioles

OF Jose Canseco, Oakland As

OF Joe Carter, Toronto Blue Jays


C Mickey Tettleton, Detroit Tigers

DH Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Will Clark, Sand Francisco Giants


3B Howard Johnson, New York Mets



OF Bobby Bonilla, Pittsburgh Pirates

OF Ron Gant, Atlanta Braves

C Benito Santiago, San Diego Padres

P Tom Glavine, Atlanta Braves

1990AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Cecil Fielder, Detroit Tigers


3B Kelly Gruber, Toronto Blue Jays

SS Alan Trammell, Detroit Tigers

OF Rickey Henderson, Oakland As


OF Ellis Burks, Boston Red Sox

C Lance Parrish, California Angels

P Dave Parker, Milwaukee Brewers

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Eddie Murray, Los Angeles Angels


3B Matt Williams, San Francisco Giants



OF Bobby Bonilla, Pittsburgh Pirates

OF Darryl Strawberry, New York Mets


P Don Robinson, San Francisco Giants

1989AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Fred McGriff, Toronto Blue Jays




OF Kirby Puckett, Minnesota Twins

OF Ruben Sierra, Texas RangersOF Robin Yount, Milwaukee Brewers

C Mickey Tettelton, Baltimore Orioles

DH Harold Baines, Chicago White Sox,

Texas Rangers

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Will Clark, San Francisco Giants2B Ryne Sandberg, Chicago Cubs

3B Howard Johnson, New York Mets


OF Kevin Mitchell, San Francisco Giants

OF Tony Gwynn, San Diego Padres

OF Eric Davis, Cincinnati Reds

C Craig Biggio, Houston Astros

P Don Robinson, San Francisco Giants

1988AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B George Brett, Kansas City Royals

2B Julio Franco, Cleveland Indians





OF Mike Greenwell, Boston Red Sox

C Carlton Fisk, Chicago White Sox

DH Paul Molitor, Milwaukee Brewers

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Andre Galarraga, Montreal Expos

2B Ryan Sandberg, Chicago Cubs

3B Bobby Bonilla, Pittsburgh Pirates


OF Darryl Strawberry, New York Mets

OF Andy Van Slyke, Pittsburgh Pirates

OF Kirk Gibson, Los Angeles Dodgers


P Tim Leary, Los Angeles Dodgers

1987AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Don Mattingly, New York Yankees

2B Lou Whitaker, Detroit Tigers



OF George Bell, Toronto Blue Jays

OF Dwight Evans, Boston Red Sox


C Matt Nokes, Detroit Tigers

DH Paul Molitor, Milwaukee Brewers

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Jack Clark, St. Louis Cardinals

2B Juan Samuel, Philadelphia Phillies

3B Tim Wallach, Montreal Expos

SS Ozzie Smith, St. Louis Cardinals

OF Andre Dawson, Chicago Cubs

OF Eric Davis, Cincinnati Reds



P Bob Forsch, St. Louis Cardinals

1986AMERICAN LEAGUE


2B Frank White, Kansas City Royals





OF Jesse Barfield, Toronto Blue Jays

C Lance Parrish, Detroit Tigers

DH Don Baylor, Boston Red SoxNATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Glenn Davis, Houston Astros

2B Steve Sax, Los Angeles Dodgers

3B Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies

SS Hubie Brooks, Montreal Expos


OF Tim Raines, Montreal Expos

OF Dave Parker, Cincinnati Reds

C Gary Carter, New York Mets

P Rick Rhoden, Pittsburgh Pirates

1985AMERICAN LEAGUE



3B George Brett, Kansas Royals


OF Rickey Henderson, New York Yankees

OF Dave Winfield, New York Yankees


C Carlton Fisk, Chicago White Sox

DH Don Baylor, New York Yankees

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Jack Clark, St. Louis Cardinals2B Ryne Sandberg, Chicago Cubs

3B Tim Wallach, Montreal Expos

SS Hubie Brooks, Montreal Expos

OF Willie McGee, St. Louis Cardinals

OF Dale Murphy, Atlanta Braves

OF Dave Parker, Cincinnati Reds

C Gary Carter, New York Mets


1984AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Eddie Murray, Baltimore Orioles


3B Buddy Bell, Texas Rangers

SS Cal Ripken, Jr., Baltimore Orioles

OF Tony Armas, Boston Red Sox

OF Jim Rice, Boston Red Sox



DH Andre Thornton, Cleveland Indians

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Keith Hernandez, New York Mets

2B Ryne Sandberg, Chicago Cubs3B Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies

SS Garry Templeton, San Diego Padres


OF Jose Cruz, Houston Astros


C Gary Carter, Montreal Expos


1983AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Eddie Murray, Baltimore Orioles



SS Cal Ripken, Jr., Baltimore Orioles

OF Jim Rice, Boston Red Sox


OF Lloyd Moseby, Toronto Blue Jays


DH Don Baylor, New York Yankees

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B George Hendrick, St. Louis Cardinals

2B Johnny Ray, Pittsburgh Pirates3B Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies

SS Dickie Thon, Houston Astros

OF Andre Dawson, Montreal Expos


OF Jose Cruz, Houston Astros

C Terry Kennedy, San Diego Padres

P Fernando Valenzuela,Los Angeles Dodgers

1982AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Cecil Cooper, Milwaukee Brewers2B Demaso Garcia, Toronto Blue Jays3B Doug DeCinces, California AngelsSS Robin Yount, Milwaukee Brewers

OF Dave Winfield, New York YankeesOF Willie Wilson, Kansas RoyalsOF Reggie Jackson, California AngelsC Lance Parrish, Detroit Tigers

DH Hal McRae, Kansas City Royals

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Al Oliver, Montreal Expos2B Joe Morgan, San Francisco Giants3B Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia PhilliesSS Dave Concepcion, Cincinnati Reds

OF Dale Murphy, Atlanta BravesOF Pedro Guerrero, Los Angeles DodgersOF Leon Durham, Chicago CubsC Gary Carter, Montreal Expos

P Don Robinson, Pittsburgh Pirates

1981AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Cecil Cooper, Milwaukee Brewers2B Bobby Grich, California Angels

3B Carney Lansford, Boston Red SoxSS Rick Burleson, California AngelsOF Rickey Henderson, Oakland AsOF Dave Winfield, New York Yankees

OF Dwight Evans, Boston Red SoxC Carlton Fisk, Chicago White SoxDH Al Oliver, Texas Rangers

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Pete Rose, Philadelphia Phillies2B Manny Trillo, Philadelphia Phillies

3B Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia PhilliesSS Dave Concepcion, Cincinnati RedsOF Andre Dawson, Montreal Expos

OF George Foster, Cincinnati RedsOF Dusty Baker, Los Angeles DodgersC Gary Carter, Montreal ExposP Fernando Valenzuela, Los Angeles Dodgers

1980AMERICAN LEAGUE

1B Cecil Cooper, Milwaukee Brewers

2B Willie Randolph, New York Yankees3B George Brett, Kansas City RoyalsSS Robin Yount, Milwaukee BrewersOF Ben Oglivie, Milwaukee BrewersOF Al Oliver, Texas Rangers

OF Willie Wilson, Kansas City RoyalsC Lance Parrish, Detroit TigersDH Reggie Jackson, New York Yankees

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B Keith Hernandez, St. Louis Cardinals

2B Manny Trillo, Philadelphia Phillies

3B Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies

SS Gary Templeton, St. Louis Cardinals

OF Dusty Baker, Los Angeles Dodgers

OF Andre Dawson, Montreal Expos

OF George Hendrick, St. Louis CardinalsC Ted Simmons, St. Louis Cardinals

P Bob Forsch, St. Louis Cardinals

AWARD

CAL STATE FULLERTON. RICE.

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.

What do these three teams have in

common? Each has won the College World

Series during the last three years. And

by no coincidence, all three choseLouis-

ville Slugger products at the plate and in

the field at Omahas Rosenblatt Stadium.

When the countrys very best college teams

gather each year in Omaha, Louisville

Sluggers line of TPX equipment takes a

prominent position on the mound and at

the plate. Thats how we have helped win

back-to-back-to-back College World Series

titles and have been as much a fixture

at the College World Series as hotdogs

and the singing of the national anthem.

Our winning stats dont stop there.Check out these numbers:

Six of the past seven national col-lege champions were Louisville

Slugger teams. Twelve of the past fourteen teams in

the last seven College World Seriesfinals chose Louisville Slugger.

Both teams in the 2004 nationalchampionship game Cal State

Fullerton and Texas useville Sluggers TPX line of equ

Louisville Slugger teams w

of the fifteen games playe2004 College World Serie

Thats why the list of Whos Who i

Baseball Stanford, University

Florida State, Cal State Fullerton,

others select Louisville Slugge

of their winning teams.

After all, they play to win. And L

Slugger TPX is the gear that c

them do it.

1000AT LAST THREE COLLEGE WORLD SERI

LOUISVILLE

SL

UGGERBATS

12 13


9/13

WHERE BASEBALL HISTORY

COMESTOLIFE

The Louisville Slugger Museum More than your standard tour, a visit tothe Louisville Slugger Museum is the

complete baseball experience, brought

to you as only Louisville Slugger can.

Interactive and full of excitement and

history, the Louisville Slugger Museum

is a must for any lover of the game.

{WORLDS LARGEST BAT}

Start your day at the museum with astop at the largest baseball bat in the

world. A 68,000-pound steel monster,

the bat is a to-scale replica of Babe

Ruths 34-inch bat. The signature of

Bud Hillerich is on the barrel, in honor

of the man who turned the first Louis-

ville Slugger in 1884.

{THE THEATER}

Settle down in our theater to watch The

Heart of the Game, a thrilling insight into

the history of baseball and the crucial

part that Louisville Slugger has played

in the game over the years. Youll dis-

cover new tales and relive some of the

sports legendary moments.

{THE GLOVE}

Its certainly not regulation. But its the

biggest ball glove you and your buddies

will ever see. Sculpted from Kentucky

limestone formed 450 million years

ago, the 17-ton glove sculpture was

crafted by Kimberly Hillerich, the

great-great granddaughter of Bud Hill-

erich, and Albert Nelson. The sculp-

ture is entitled Play Ball.

{THE FIELD}

You leave the locker room and walk

through the tunnel, the excitement

building. Then you step into the dugout,

and there before you is Louisville Slug-

gers replica of Baltimores Camden

Yard. You can step into the announcers

booth and let our recordings bring to

life some of the games most memorable

achievements Aarons 715th , Ripkens

legendary swat and more. Or listen to

our batboy spin yarns about the games

bygone era. Its a great way to help

the game come alive.

{THE OVAL ROOM}

This is our main gallery, wher

see the genuine sticks swung

Cobb, Ted Williams, Hank Aaro

more. Count the homerun no

Babe Ruth carved into his ba

you can learn about the history

game and handle the oddball e

mental bats of the past. And don

to stand behind our umpire staget the feel of a pro pitchers heat

at you full force.

{THE FACTORY}

This is where it all happens,

world-famous Louisville Slugg

turned with the same pride that

in 1884. Witness the amazing p

that our craftsmen use when m

the most famous bats in the wo

can get a personalized bat with yo

name on it and learn every ste

bat-making process. And all

get a free, miniature Louisville

{THE GIFT SHOP}

Wrap up your visit by stopping

gift shop. You can grab your f

souvenir from our hockey, golf

ball sections. Its the perfect way

your trip and take a little bit of

ville Slugger home with you.

If youve yet to experience the

ville Slugger Museum, start pl

your visit soon. Because if yo

baseball, this is one experienc

dont want to miss.

FACE DOWN A 90 MPH ZINGER FROM ROGER CLE

Share a dugout with Mickey Mantle. Watch authentic LoSlugger bats as they are createdfrom start to finish. Its aof the thrills and fun of the LOUISVILLE SLUGGER MU{

14


10/13

LOUISVILLE SLUGGERS ALUMINUM bats

are manufactured in Ontario, California.

They start as hollow aluminum tubes,

2 5/8 inches in diameter and about 30

inches long.

A MACHINE RUNS THE TUBES through a

process called swaging, in which theyre

spun and molded into the appropriate

shape. Because bats are tapered at one end,

the swaging process also increases the

length of the tubes, leaving the finished bats

at the proper length.

NEXT, THE BATS SOAK for 20 minutes in abath of molten salt heated to over 800 F.

This process cures the metal at a sub-

atomic level, making the bat stronger and

more durable.

AFTER COOLING OFF in a supersaturated

water-based solution, the bats move to

an aging furnace where they wi l l

endure temperatures of close to 300 for

12-24 hou rs . The p ro l onged hea t

strengthens the metal even further, and

prepares it for the final steps in the

manufacturing process.

THE HOLLOW BATS are closed at one end

with polyurethane caps before a welding

machine adds a knob to each one.

NEXT, THE BATS ARE

POLISHED and silkscreen printedwith impact-resistant paint, then

outfitted with synthetic grips.

DECALS GO ON right before

the bats are packaged and sent

to eager batters all over the

balls beware. There is a ste

aluminum Louisville Slugger

the way.

DID YOU KNOW?

Aluminum is the most abun

the earths crust, but its ra

its pure form. It mus

from other compoun

electrical process.

LETS SAY WE WANT TO MAKE A WOOD

BAT. Where do we start? It all starts with

lumber from the first 10 feet of the tree trunk.

Everything else is furniture and firewood.

AT THE MILL, the trunk is cut into 40-inch

bolts, then the bolts are split into trian-

gular wedges.

AFTER INSPECTION, the wedges are

shaped into rounded pieces called

billets. Newly-cut lumber is

moist and soft, so the billets

are dried in a huge kiln

oven. The wood isinspected again, and

the best billets get

shipped to Louisville,

Kentucky, and stored until theyre

ready to be turned. Thats where

the magic is where these pieces of

wood are made into the legendary bats of

Louisville Slugger.

A BAT IS TURNED using a tool called a

lathe, which holds the billet at either end

and spins it like an axle. Then it touches a

sharp blade to the wood, which moves in a

pre-set pattern from one end to the other.

Chips of wood fly like sparks, and when

its all over, youve got a bat.

THE NEW BAT is removed from the

lathe and sanded smooth as silk, then

branded with a model number andthe Louisville Slugger logo. If the bat

is being made for a Major League

player, it s branded with the

number 125, indicating that it

was made from the highest

quality wood wood with a tight, straight

grain and few knots or imperfections.

THE BAT IS SANDED one more time to

remove any residue left by the brand, then

its dipped in lacquer or paint and hung to

dry. The finish makes the wood stronger

and adds a decorative touch, although some

players prefer to have their bats unfinished

just pure, natural wood.

DID YOU KNOW? The first Louisville Slugger

was turned way back in 1884, and the

process is the same today as it was back

then. But back then, everything was doneby hand. Machines do it all now, so what

used to take 15 minutes now takes less

than 15 seconds.

F R O M

L U M B E R L E G E N DN O T S O

THE MAKI NG OF A MAJOR LEAGUE LOUISVILLE SLUGGER WOOD BATSwing a Louisville Slugger, and youre swinging a piece of timber thats been around for more than 60 years. Thats how long it takes for a tree to mature

into suitable lumber. In fact, youd be surprised at how much older your wood bat is than you are. The process of making a Louisville Slugger begins with

selecting the timber itself. Although maple is rapidly gaining in popularity among todays pros, the majority of bats are made from white ash. However, not

just any white ash can become a Louisvill e Slugger. In fact, the only ash up to Louisville Slugger st andards grows along a 200-mile stretch of land on the

New York-Pennsylvania border. The soil, rain, sun everything is just right there. Thats where the best bats in the world, Louisville Slugger bats, come from.

HOW LOUISVILLE SLUGGER MAKES ALUMINUM BATSIn World War II, the need for lighter, faster aircraft led to a renaissance in the manuf acturing and processing of aluminum. Little did anybody

later lead to a technological revolution in Americas favorite pastime a revolution that came in the form of aluminum bats. The aluminum

patented way back in 1886, just two short years after the first Louisville Slugger was carved out of a log of white ash. But it wasnt unti

aluminum began replacing wood as the material of choice for sending baseballs flying. Today, Louisville Slugger makes more than a million a

year. Without getting overly technical, heres a quick look at how these durable, high-performance bats are made.

16 17


11/13

F E W DE CIS IONS IMPACT YOUR GAME as

much as choosing the perfect bat. You want

a bat thats the right weight, right length and

right barrel size for you and within your

budget. Improvements in technology have

given todays ball player more options than

ever, so youre sure to find a bat that feels

like it was custom-made for you. You just

have to do your homework to find it.

Unless youre in the pros or playing in a

wood-bat league, well assume that youll

be swinging aluminum. Here are a few tips to

keep in mind when making your selection:

WEIGHT. As a general rule, bigger,stronger players usually prefer a heavier batfor maximum power. Smaller players usually

benefit from a lighter bat that allows greater bat

speed.To determine the weight thats right for

you, swing a variety of bats and see how much

weight youre comfortable with.

LENGTH. Length and weight combine for peakperformance. A longer bat gives you greater

reach, allowing you to hit balls on the outside

of the plate. But remember that a longer bat

may be heavier, and the extra weight could

slow you down. Like checking the weight, you

need to swing bats of differentlengths to decide

what length best suits you.

BARREL DIAMETER. Most players12 andunder use a 2 1/4 barrel. This is the standard

barrel size for Dixie Youth and Little League

baseball, although some leagues and travel

teams are using larger 2 3/4 barrels. High-

school and college players are restricted to a

maximum barrel diameter of 2 5/8.

LEAGUE REQUIREMENTS. Virtually all leagueshave their own bat requirements and restric-

tions. For example, high school and college

requirements call for BESR-certified bats. To

avoid costly surprises, make sure you know all

league requirements beforeyou go bat shopping.

ALLOY.Several different

aluminum alloys are used in

todays bats, each with different

performance and durability characteristics.

Ever wondered why some bats cost $30

while others cost $300? The alloy is often the

biggest factor in the price difference. Heres a

look at some of the more popular alloys:

7046: A durable, affordable alloy that has been

an industry standby for years.

Cu31: This time-tested alloy provides a greatcombination of performance and durability.It

was the first true high-performance bat alloy.

C405: A popular alloy used by several manu-

facturers for their high-end bats.

C555: An alloy that includes scandium, C555

is 10% stronger than C405.

Scandium XS: Exclusively from Louisville

Slugger, this alloy features twice the sca ndium

found in bats made by other manufacturers,

giving it even greater strength than C555.

ST+20: Designed exclusively for Louisville

Slugger by Alcoa, ST+20 is the strongest alloy

on the bat market today. If youre looking for

the ultimate high-performance alloy, this is it.

AIRCHAMBER& OTHERSPECIAL FEATURES.Many Louisville Slugger high-performance

bats feature inflatable chambers filled with

nitrogen inside their barrels. A Louisville

Slugger exclusive, these chambers give players

a solid feel, solid sound and outstanding per-

formance. Another exclusive Louisville Slugger

feature found in select Senior League and

Youth bats is the Simms Sting Stop System,which reduces the sting you feel in

your hands when your bat

strikes the ball.

FEEL. Thismay be the most importantfactor. Make sure the bat feels

right to you, like an extension of your

arm and hand. After all, youre going to

be spending quite a bit of time together.

SO YOUVE CHOSEN YOURBAT. NOWWHAT? You want to be comfortable and

confident with your bat before you swing it

in a win-or-lose situation, so take it to the

practice field or batting cage and get in a

few hits. Confidence can only come from

one thing: batting practice. Whatever bat

you choose, put in plenty of practice time,

so youll be ready when the pressures onat the plate.

BAT SELECTION CHART. The best way to find the rightbat is to starchart. Then try different size bats in that general length range. The bat t

able and easy to swing should be selected.

HOW TO

CHOOSE A

BAT LIMIT THEBATTO YOURINDIVIDUAL USE ONLY. ROTAT

TURN E

DO NOT USE IN TEMBELOW

60(16C)

DO NOT STO RE THE BAT I NEXTREME HOT ORCOLDTEMPER-ATURES, SUC HAS I NA C AR TRUNKOR GARAGE.

DO NOT CLEAN METALSPIKES ORCLEATS WITHYOUR BAT.

USE WITHLEATHER-CONOTPLASTIC OR RUBBE

DL

IF USINGA SOFTBALLBAT, DO NOT USEBALLSTHAT EXCEED 400 LBS. COMPRESSION .

ROUTINELY CHECKYOUR PLASTICEND CAP ANDREPLACE IT IF ITCRACKS ORBECOMESLOOSE.

ALUMINUM BAT CARE TIPS

..

. . .

. ..

.

18 19


12/13

THEOFFICIAL BATOF AMERICAS PASTIME.TM

www.slugger.com

SOMETIMESANAME JUSTSUMSITALLUP.We know the D word is not to be used ligh tly. But if anyones got a record in Omaha to back it up, i ts Louisville Slugger

Thats why the names DynastyTM and Omaha felt right at home on the barrels of our newest bats. Tune in to the College World Series

June 17-26/27 to see the newest Omaha and the aptly named Dynasty with ST+20 alloy in action.

2005Hillerich&BradsbyCo.,Louisville,KY.Allrightsreserved.

{ }

MOLD THE POCKET. You want a nice,round, roomy pocket for your glove when

youre fielding grounders or snatching

those line-drive bullets out of the air.

The tried-and-true method for achieving

this is to place a ball firmly where you

want your pocket to be and then close

your glove securely around the ball by

tying a shoestring around it or using a

large rubber band. Because time is needed

to get the pocket started, let the glove sit for

a day or two while the shape starts to form.

PLAYBALL! Of course thebest way to create your pocketand match your glove to

your hand is to use the

glove. Before you take it out

to the game, grab a buddy and

catch some balls. This, more

than anything else, will help you

form the glove to your hand.

A GOOD GLOVEshould last many

years, so patience and dedication should be

used when breaking it in. If you follow these

guidelines, you should be able to hand the glove

down to your kids when theyre ready to get in

the game.

SOFTEN THE LEATHER.To conform

your glove to your hand and your

game, the first step is to soften the

leather. Any number of creams,

oils and foams will do the

job. Most pros prefer

Neetsfoot Oil. But no

matter what you choose to

soften your mitt with, remember that lessis

more and that too much oil or foam will not

get you closer to your goal. In fact, it will

probably damage your glove. So remove

the excess product after you have applied

it, and dont over-moisten the leather.

There are as many myths and methods to breaking in a baseball glove as there are players in Major LeagueBaseball. Some pretty bizarre substances and practices have been endorsed over the years from rubbing inshaving cream to running over the glove with a car to soften the mitt and suit it to your hand. But when itcomes down to it, there are a few proven methods that can get your glove in game condition.

HOWTO BREAKINA BASEBALL GLOVE

20


13/13

THE OFFICIAL BATOF AMERICAS PASTIME.TM

www.slugger.com

OTHERS MAKE BATS. WE MAKE HISTORY.OTHERS MAKE BATS. WE MAKE HISTORY.

slugger magazine

Documents