l u g g e r

1
N O .
1 ,
V O L .
H OW A 17-Y EAR -O LD
C HANGED B ASEBALL FOREVER
The History of Louisville Slugger

THEY’RE THE BEST OF THE BEST

and They’re Swinging Louisville Slugger

BEHIND THE SCENES

E
N
I
Z
A
G
A
M
E
H
T
 1
THERE’S SOMETHING

N O .
VERY SPECIAL about this issue of H OW A 17-Y EAR -O LD K ID
C HANGED B ASEBALL FOREVER
2

1 ,
Slugger The Magazine. It is the first issue

l u g g e
V O L .
ever published, making it a magazine 120 YEARS OF PERFORMANCE TECHNOLOGY
6
you’ll definitely want to hold on to.

In this one-of-a-kind issue, you’ll learn about

LOUISVILLE SLUGGER BATS .1000
THEY’RE THE BEST OF THE BEST
8
the RICH HISTORY of the world’s oldest, AT LAST THREE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
13
most legendary batmaker – Louisville Slugger.
You’ll learn how wood and

aluminum bats are made. THE LOUISVILLE SLUGGER M USEUM —

You’ll take a PEEK BEHIND THE SCENES

WHERE BASEBALL H ISTORY COMES TO LIFE
14
at our bat factory and museum. And you’ll

pick up a few tips from today’s top pros –

tips that can help you become a BETTER PLAYER.

E
N
So read and ENJOY. And if you want to find out ALSO I N THIS ISSUE:

I
more about LOUISVILLE SLUGGER,

Z
BEHIND THE SCENES 5
s l ugge r
www.slugger.com. T H E M A G A Z I N E

A
just log on to THE SILVER SLUGGER AWARD 10
V O L. 1, N O. 1

G
T HE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF LOUISVILLE S LUGGER. HOW WOOD BATS ARE MADE 16
WWW.SLUGGER.COM

HOW ALUMINUM BATS ARE MADE 17

A
©2005 BY LOUISVILLE SLUGGER. ALL RIGHTS R ESERVED. N O
PORTION OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT
HOW TO CHOOSE A BAT 18

M
PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM LOUISVILLE SLUGGER.

PRINTED IN THE USA.

E HOW TO BREAK IN A GLOVE 20

THE OFFICIAL BAT OF

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL®
H
T
 r r

I N MANY WAYS, the rich, 120-year history of the Louisville Slugger baseball bat
began in the talented hands of 17-year-old John A. “Bud” Hillerich. Bud’s father, J. F.
∏ Hillerich, owned a growing woodworking shop in Louisville, Kentucky, in the 1880s,

∏
The History of Louisville Slugger when Bud began working for him as a 14-year-old apprentice.
and Hillerich & Bradsby
Legend has it that Bud, who played baseball him-
self, slipped away from work one afternoon in 1884
to watch Louisville’s Major League team, the Louisville
Eclipse. The team’s star, Pete Browning, mired in a
hitting slump, broke his bat.
Bud invited Browning over to his father’s
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 three
hits with it the next day. Browning told his teammates,
which began a surge of professional ball players to the
Hillerich shop. Yet J. F. Hillerich had little interest in
making bats; he saw the company’s future in
stair railings, porch columns and swinging
butter churns. For a brief time in the 1880s,
he even turned away ball players.

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

2 3
 Bud persisted; he saw the future
in bats. His father, pleased with
his son’s 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 player’s 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
wholesale company, adding his marketing
expertise to Bud Hillerich’s 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 nation’s 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,

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

BEHIND THE SCENES

delicatessen scale to be sure the weight was right. Ted
Williams could tell if a bat handle was a quarter-inch
too thick by holding it in his hands.
In 1894, with Bud Hillerich taking over for his father,
the name “Louisville Slugger” was registered with the
U.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
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 father’s urging and devoted his efforts
to making swinging butter churns? We don’t even want
to think about it.

AT

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 you’re an MLB player, things are different.
Major League players know exactly what they need in a bat when
it’s 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, they
found 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 game’s most legendary
players has resulted in some truly interesting pieces of baseball
history. Among these is the Louisville Slugger “Card Catalog.” This
isn’t like the card catalog you’ll find
in your local library. On these cards are the order specs and bat
dimensions of baseball’s all-time greatest hitters. Today, decades
later, Louisville Slugger can use these cards to precisely recreate
the bats that wrote baseball history.
A PEEK INSIDE THE LOUISVILLE SLUGGER BAT VAULT.
Many of the bats made for baseball’s legends are still around. You
just have to know where to find them. Deep within the halls of the
Louisville Slugger Museum, there is a place that
not just everybody gets to see. In the bat world,
it is the “holiest of holies”: the Louisville Slugger
bat vault. Since the early days, Louisville Slugger
has kept bat models turned for the top pros. If you are ever lucky
enough to find yourself in the Louisville Slugger vault, you could
hold a bat that was actually turned for Mickey Mantle or Joe DiMaggio
in your very own hands.
Who knows? Practice hard enough, and your bat may someday be
in the vault right beside The Babe’s or A-Rod’s. Hey, you never know.

4 5
 LOUISVILLE
SLUGGER.
120
YEARS OF
PERFORMANCE
TECHNOLOGY
BE FOR E TH E WOR LD SE R I ES,
Little League and the rule that said “three strikes
mean you’re out,” a small company in Louis-
ville, Kentucky, was already perfecting the bats that
would write 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 game’s
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 THAT’S GROWN WITH THE GAME.
What makes a Louisville Slugger a Louisville Slugger? It’s
something we call “performance technology,” and it’s something
6 7
maximum protection with minimum
restriction of movement. Designed by
a hand surgeon, James M. Kleinert, M.D.,
ours is the first line of gloves that truly works
in concert with the human hand.
In addition to its on-field performance prod-
ucts, Louisville Slugger offers personalized, miniature,
commemorative and collectible bats. These are be-
coming more and more popular with collectors who
want to hold and own a piece of base-
ball history, as well as
you’ll 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 with fans who simply want
to the most demanding specifications of the world’s most de- to recapture fond childhood moments.
manding players. Today, it means applying the latest aerospace
And considering how long Louisville Slugger
technology to bat making, delivering high-tech aluminum and
has been around, there are more than just a few of
to the collegiate level. those moments to recapture.
composite bats that give new meaning to the word “performance.”
TPS, or the aluminum “Tourn-
It also means computer-aided crafting of custom wood bats for
ament Players Series,” is designed specif-
unheard-of consistency in meeting top players’ specs.
ically for fast-pitch and slow-pitch softball. These
A NEW GENERATION OF BATS FOR A NEW aluminum bats have proven every bit as successful as Louisville
GENERATION OF PLAYERS.
Slugger’s wood bats, making them the choice of a new generation
Although wood bats are at the heart of Louisville Slugger,
of ballplayers.
they currently represent less than 20% of Louisville Slugger’s
MORE THAN JUST BATS.
overall sales revenues. Aluminum is the name of the game at
Over the past 30 years, Louisville Slugger has gone far beyond
most levels these days, so the familiar Louisville Slugger oval is
bats, providing performance technology in the forms of fielding and
most often found on the barrels of its performance-oriented TPX®
batting gloves, helmets, catchers’ gear, equipment bags, training
and TPS® aluminum bats.
aids and accessories. In particular, the “Bionic” series of batting
TPX, which stands for “Tournament Players Xtra-Lite,” is geared
and fielding gloves incorporates an innovative design that gives
toward baseball markets ranging from youth ball all the way
 THE LINEUP IS A MANAGER’S DREAM COME TRUE and
an opposing manager’s worst nightmare. It is a team composed of
batting champs, Cy Young winners, All-Stars and future Hall of Famers.
Consider this team’s infield: Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees;
T H E Y’R E T H E Nomar Garciaparra, Chicago Cubs; Jeff Bagwell, Houston Astros;
Mike Lowell, Florida Marlins; Derek Jeter, New York Yankees and
BEST
Edgar Renteria, Boston Red Sox. And behind the plate is Ivan Rodriguez
of 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-handed designated hitter, there’s Gary
Sheffield of the New York Yankees.
O F T H E
LOUISVILLE SLUGGER HAS BEEN PRESENT FOR NEARLY EVERY
BEST.
AND THEY’RE SWINGING LOUISVILLE SLUGGER.
LEGENDARY MOMENT IN THE GAME’S RICH HISTORY.
On the mound, the right-handed starter would be Houston’s 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
there’s ace Billy Wagner of the Philadelphia Phillies.
So what Dream Team have we been building? Is this Major League
Baseball’s 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-field achieve-
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 best 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 League’s Most Valuable
9
Player, has averaged 50 home runs a year over the last three seasons.
Garciaparra has wielded his bat like a magician, while building a lofty
career batting average of roughly .320.
These are only a sampling of the Major League players who choose
Louisville Slugger when taking to the plate or field. And the list goes on:
Boston’s Manny Ramirez, Toronto’s Vernon Wells, Atlanta’s Andruw
Jones and Seattle’s Bret Boone.
In fact, 17 position players selected to the 2003 Major League All-
Star Game make Louisville Slugger their bat of choice, more than any
other bat. But that should come as no surprise because Louisville
Slugger is the Official Bat of Major League Baseball, and 65% of all
Major Leaguers today are “Sluggers.” And on the mound, more than
25% of all Major League pitchers choose a Louisville Slugger TPX
series glove.
But then Louisville Slugger has been present for nearly every
legendary moment in the game’s rich history. Ever since Honus “The
Flying Dutchman” Wagner of Pittsburgh Pirates fame selected Louisville
Slugger as his bat of choice in 1905 – followed by the infamous Ty
Cobb three years later – Louisville Slugger has been at the plate when
history was made.
Babe Ruth hit all 60 of his home runs in 1927 with a Model R43
Louisville Slugger. That record stood until Roger Maris shattered it in
1961 using a Slugger bat. Hank Aaron hit his record 715th career
home run into the left-field stands in Atlanta with a Louisville Slugger,
and Tony Gwynn captured a record eight Silver Bats, awarded to the
league’s batting champ, swinging a Louisville Slugger.
Ken Griffey Jr., in June 2004, joined the 500-homer club with his drive
to the right-field seats, becoming the sixth youngest player to reach that
milestone. A Louisville Slugger was in his hands for the historic moment.
From The Babe to A-Rod to the College World Series champions, the
best players and the best teams use Louisville Slugger.

sil er
IF YOU COULD PICK THE BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYERS AT EVERY POSITION, WHO WOULD
YOU CHOOSE? THAT’S 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,
T DH David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox
H 1B Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
E 3B Adrian Beltre, Los Angeles Dodgers
A ward
S L U G G E R
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-
er’s 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-
10
sented by a Louisville Slugger repre-
sentative at one of the recipient’s
home games, usually in April or
May. The trophy is engraved with
the names of all 18 winners from
both leagues.
Louisville Slugger also sponsors
the Silver Bat Award, presented to the
batting champions of both the Ameri-
can League and the National League.
SILVER SLUGGER
AWARD WINNERS
2004
AMERICAN 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
NATIONAL LEAGUE
2B Mark Loretta, San Diego Padres
SS Jack Wilson, Pittsburgh Pirates
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
2003
AMERICAN 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
OF Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox
C Jorge Posada, New York Yankees
DH Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Todd Helton, Colorado Rockies
2B Jose Vidro, Montreal Expos
SS Edgar Renteria, St. Louis Cardinals
3B Mike Lowell, Florida Marlins
OF Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
OF Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
OF Gary Sheffield, Atlanta Braves
C Javy Lopez, Atlanta Braves
P Mike Hampton, Atlanta Braves
2002
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Jason Giambi, New York Yankees
2B Alfonso Soriano, New York Yankees
SS Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers
3B Eric Chavez, Oakland A’s
OF Magglio Ordonez, Chicago White Sox
OF Bernie Williams, New York Yankees
OF Garret Anderson, Anaheim Angels
C Jorge Posada, New York Yankees
DH Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Todd Helton, Colorado Rockies
2B Jeff Kent, San Francisco Giants
SS Edgar Renteria, St. Louis Cardinals
3B Scott Rolen, St. Louis Cardinals
OF Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
OF Sammy Sosa, Chicago Cubs
OF Vladimir Guerrero, Montreal Expos
C Mike Piazza, New York Mets
P Mike Hampton, Colorado Rockies
2001
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Jason Giambi, Oakland A’s
2B Bret Boone, Seattle Mariners
3B Troy Glaus, Anaheim Angels
SS Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers
OF Juan Gonzalez, Cleveland Indians
OF Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox
OF Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners
C Jorge Posada, New York Yankees
DH Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Todd Helton, Colorado Rockies
2B Jeff Kent, San Francisco Giants
3B Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
SS Rich Aurilia, San Francisco Giants
OF Sammy Sosa, Chicago Cubs
OF Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
OF Luis Gonzalez, Arizona Diamondbacks
C Mike Piazza, New York Mets
P Mike Hampton, Colorado Rockies
2000
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Carlos Delgado, Toronto Blue Jays
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
C Jorge Posada, New York Yankees
DH Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Todd Helton, Colorado Rockies
2B Jeff Kent, San Francisco Giants
3B Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves
SS Edgar Renteria, St. Louis Cardinals
OF Sammy Sosa, Chicago Cubs
OF Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
OF Vladimir Guerrero, Montreal Expos
C Mike Piazza, New York Mets
P Mike Hampton, New York Mets
1999
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Carlos Delgado, Toronto Blue Jays
2B Roberto Alomar, Cleveland Indians
3B Dean Palmer, Detroit Tigers
SS Alex Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners
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 Sammy Sosa, Chicago Cubs
OF Larry Walker, Colorado Rockies
OF Vladimir Guerrero, Montreal Expos
C Mike Piazza, New York Mets
P Mike Hampton, Houston Astros
1998
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Rafael Palmeiro, Baltimore Orioles
2B Damion Easley, Detroit Tigers
11
3B Dean Palmer, Detroit Tigers
SS Alex Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners
OF Ken Griffey, Jr., Seattle Mariners
OF Albert Belle, Chicago White Sox
OF Juan Gonzalez, Texas Rangers
C Ivan Rodriguez, 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
SS Barry Larkin, Cincinnati Reds
OF Sammy Sosa, Chicago Cubs
OF Moises Alou, Houston Astros
OF Greg Vaughn, San Diego Padres
C Mike Piazza, New York Mets
P Tom Glavine, Atlanta Braves
1997
AMERICAN 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
OF Ken Griffey, Jr., Seattle Mariners
OF Juan Gonzalez, Texas Rangers
C Ivan Rodriguez, Texas Rangers
DH Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners
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 Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
OF Tony Gwynn, Sand Diego Padres
C Mike Piazza, Los Angeles Dodgers
P John Smoltz, Atlanta Braves
1996
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Mark McGwire, Oakland A’s
2B Roberto Alomar, Baltimore Orioles
3B Jim Thome, Cleveland Indians
SS Alex Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners
OF Albert Belle, Cleveland Indians
OF Ken Griffey, Jr., Seattle Mariners
OF Juan Gonzalez, Texas Rangers
C Ivan Rodriguez, Texas Rangers
DH Paul Molitor, Minnesota Twins
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Andres Galarraga, Colorado Rockies
2B Eric Young, Colorado Rockies
3B Ken Caminiti, San Diego Padres
SS Barry Larkin, Cincinnati Reds
OF Ellis Burks, Colorado Rockies
OF Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
OF Gary Sheffield, Florida Marlins
C Mike Piazza, Los Angeles Dodgers
P Tom Glavine, Atlanta Braves
1995
AMERICAN 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 Ramierez, Cleveland Indians
C Ivan Rodriguez, Texas Rangers
DH Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Eric Karros, Los Angeles Dodgers
2B Craig Biggio, Houston Astros
3B Vinny Castilla, Colorado Rockies
SS Barry Larkin, Cincinnati Reds
OF Dante Bichette, Colorado Rockies
OF Tony Gwynn, San Diego Padres
OF Sammy Sosa, Chicago Cubs
C Mike Piazza, Los Angeles Dodgers
P Tom Glavine, Atlanta Braves
1994
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox
2B Carlos Baerga, Cleveland Indians
3B Wade Boggs, New York Yankees
SS Cal Ripken, Jr., Baltimore Orioles
OF Albert Belle, Cleveland Indians
OF Ken Griffey, Jr., Seattle Mariners
OF Kirby Puckett, Minnesota Twins
C Ivan Rodriguez, Texas Rangers
DH Julio Franco, Chicago White Sox
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Jeff Bagwell, Houston Astros
2B Craig Biggio, Houston Astros
3B Matt Williams, San Francisco Giants
SS Wil Cordero, Montreal Expos
OF Moises Alou, Montreal Expos
OF Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
OF Tony Gwynn, San Diego Padres
C Mike Piazza, Los Angeles Dodgers
P Mark Portugal, San Francisco Giants
1993
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox
2B Carlos Baerga, Cleveland Indians
3B Wade Boggs, New York Yankees
SS Cal Ripkin, Jr., Baltimore Orioles
OF Albert Belle, Cleveland Indians
OF Juan Gonzalez, Texas Rangers
OF Ken Griffey, Jr., Seattle Mariners
C Mike Stanley, New York Yankees
P Dwight Gooden, New York Yankees
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Fred McGriff, San Diego Padres,
Atlanta Braves
2B Robby Thompson, San Francisco Giants
3B Matt Williams, San Francisco Giants
SS Jay Bell, Pittsburgh Pirates
OF Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
OF Lenny Dykstra, Philadelphia Phillies
OF David Justice, Atlanta Braves
C Mike Piazza, Los Angeles Dodgers
P Orel Hershiser, Los Angeles Dodgers
1992
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Mark McGwire, Oakland A’s
2B Roberto Alomar, Baltimore Orioles
3B Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners
SS Travis Fryman, Detroit Tigers
OF Joe Carter, Toronto Blue Jays
OF Juan Gonzalez, Texas Rangers
OF Kirby Puckett, Minnesota Twins
C Mickey Tettleton, Detroit Tigers
DH Dave Winfield, Toronto Blue Jays
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Fred McGriff, San Diego Padres
2B Ryne Sandberg, Chicago Cubs
3B Gary Sheffield, Sand Diego Padres
SS Barry Larkin, Cincinnati Reds
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
1991
AMERICAN 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 A’s
OF Joe Carter, Toronto Blue Jays
OF Ken Griffey, Jr., Seattle Mariners
C Mickey Tettleton, Detroit Tigers
DH Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Will Clark, Sand Francisco Giants
2B Ryne Sandberg, Chicago Cubs
3B Howard Johnson, New York Mets
SS Barry Larkin, Cincinnati Reds
OF Barry Bonds, Pittsburgh Pirates
OF Bobby Bonilla, Pittsburgh Pirates
OF Ron Gant, Atlanta Braves
C Benito Santiago, San Diego Padres
P Tom Glavine, Atlanta Braves
1990
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Cecil Fielder, Detroit Tigers
2B Julio Franco, Texas Rangers
3B Kelly Gruber, Toronto Blue Jays
SS Alan Trammell, Detroit Tigers
OF Rickey Henderson, Oakland A’s
OF Jose Canseco, Oakland A’s
OF Ellis Burks, Boston Red Sox
C Lance Parrish, California Angels
P Dave Parker, Milwaukee Brewers
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Eddie Murray, Los Angeles Angels
2B Ryne Sandberg, Chicago Cubs
3B Matt Williams, San Francisco Giants
SS Barry Larkin, Cincinnati Reds
OF Barry Bonds, Pittsburgh Pirates
OF Bobby Bonilla, Pittsburgh Pirates
OF Darryl Strawberry, New York Mets
C Benito Santiago, San Diego Padres
P Don Robinson, San Francisco Giants
1989
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Fred McGriff, Toronto Blue Jays
2B Julio Franco, Texas Rangers
3B Wade Boggs, Boston Red Sox
SS Cal Ripkin, Jr., Baltimore Orioles
OF Kirby Puckett, Minnesota Twins
OF Ruben Sierra, Texas Rangers
OF Robin Yount, Milwaukee Brewers
C Mickey Tettelton, Baltimore Orioles
DH Harold Baines, Chicago White Sox,
Texas Rangers
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Will Clark, San Francisco Giants
2B Ryne Sandberg, Chicago Cubs
3B Howard Johnson, New York Mets
SS Barry Larkin, Cincinnati Reds
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
1988
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B George Brett, Kansas City Royals
2B Julio Franco, Cleveland Indians
3B Wade Boggs, Boston Red Sox
SS Alan Trammell, Detroit Tigers
OF Kirby Puckett, Minnesota Twins
OF Jose Canseco, Oakland A’s
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
SS Barry Larkin, Cincinnati Reds
OF Darryl Strawberry, New York Mets
OF Andy Van Slyke, Pittsburgh Pirates
OF Kirk Gibson, Los Angeles Dodgers
C Benito Santiago, San Diego Padres
P Tim Leary, Los Angeles Dodgers
1987
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Don Mattingly, New York Yankees
2B Lou Whitaker, Detroit Tigers
3B Wade Boggs, Boston Red Sox
SS Alan Trammell, Detroit Tigers
OF George Bell, Toronto Blue Jays
OF Dwight Evans, Boston Red Sox
OF Kirby Puckett, Minnesota Twins
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
OF Tony Gwynn, San Diego Padres
C Benito Santiago, San Diego Padres
P Bob Forsch, St. Louis Cardinals
1986
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Don Mattingly, New York Yankees
2B Frank White, Kansas City Royals
3B Wade Boggs, Boston Red Sox
SS Cal Ripkin, Jr., Baltimore Orioles
OF George Bell, Toronto Blue Jays
OF Kirby Puckett, Minnesota Twins
OF Jesse Barfield, Toronto Blue Jays
C Lance Parrish, Detroit Tigers
DH Don Baylor, Boston Red Sox
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Glenn Davis, Houston Astros
2B Steve Sax, Los Angeles Dodgers
3B Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies
SS Hubie Brooks, Montreal Expos
OF Tony Gwynn, San Diego Padres
OF Tim Raines, Montreal Expos
12
OF Dave Parker, Cincinnati Reds
C Gary Carter, New York Mets
P Rick Rhoden, Pittsburgh Pirates
1985
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Don Mattingly, New York Yankees
2B Lou Whitaker, Detroit Tigers
3B George Brett, Kansas Royals
SS Cal Ripkin, Jr., Baltimore Orioles
OF Rickey Henderson, New York Yankees
OF Dave Winfield, New York Yankees
OF George Bell, Toronto Blue Jays
C Carlton Fisk, Chicago White Sox
DH Don Baylor, New York Yankees
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Jack Clark, St. Louis Cardinals
2B 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
P Rick Rhoden, Pittsburgh Pirates
1984
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Eddie Murray, Baltimore Orioles
2B Lou Whitaker, Detroit Tigers
3B Buddy Bell, Texas Rangers
SS Cal Ripken, Jr., Baltimore Orioles
OF Tony Armas, Boston Red Sox
OF Jim Rice, Boston Red Sox
OF Dave Winfield, New York Yankees
C Lance Parrish, Detroit Tigers
DH Andre Thornton, Cleveland Indians
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Keith Hernandez, New York Mets
2B Ryne Sandberg, Chicago Cubs
3B Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies
SS Garry Templeton, San Diego Padres
OF Dale Murphy, Atlanta Braves
OF Jose Cruz, Houston Astros
OF Tony Gwynn, San Diego Padres
C Gary Carter, Montreal Expos
P Rick Rhoden, Pittsburgh Pirates
1983
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Eddie Murray, Baltimore Orioles
2B Lou Whitaker, Detroit Tigers
3B Wade Boggs, Boston Red Sox
SS Cal Ripken, Jr., Baltimore Orioles
OF Jim Rice, Boston Red Sox
OF Dave Winfield, New York Yankees
OF Lloyd Moseby, Toronto Blue Jays
C Lance Parrish, Detroit Tigers
DH Don Baylor, New York Yankees
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B George Hendrick, St. Louis Cardinals
2B Johnny Ray, Pittsburgh Pirates
3B Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies
SS Dickie Thon, Houston Astros
OF Andre Dawson, Montreal Expos
OF Dale Murphy, Atlanta Braves
OF Jose Cruz, Houston Astros
C Terry Kennedy, San Diego Padres
P Fernando Valenzuela, Los Angeles Dodgers
1982
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Cecil Cooper, Milwaukee Brewers
2B Demaso Garcia, Toronto Blue Jays
3B Doug DeCinces, California Angels
✮ LOUISVI LLE
SS Robin Yount, Milwaukee Brewers
OF Dave Winfield, New York Yankees
OF Willie Wilson, Kansas Royals
OF Reggie Jackson, California Angels
C Lance Parrish, Detroit Tigers
DH Hal McRae, Kansas City Royals
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Al Oliver, Montreal Expos
2B Joe Morgan, San Francisco Giants
3B Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies
SLUGG E R BATS
SS Dave Concepcion, Cincinnati Reds
OF Dale Murphy, Atlanta Braves
OF Pedro Guerrero, Los Angeles Dodgers
OF Leon Durham, Chicago Cubs
C Gary Carter, Montreal Expos
000
P Don Robinson, Pittsburgh Pirates
1981
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Cecil Cooper, Milwaukee Brewers
2B Bobby Grich, California Angels
1
3B Carney Lansford, Boston Red Sox
SS Rick Burleson, California Angels
OF Rickey Henderson, Oakland A’s
OF Dave Winfield, New York Yankees
OF Dwight Evans, Boston Red Sox
C Carlton Fisk, Chicago White Sox
DH Al Oliver, Texas Rangers
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B Pete Rose, Philadelphia Phillies
2B Manny Trillo, Philadelphia Phillies
3B Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies
SS Dave Concepcion, Cincinnati Reds
OF Andre Dawson, Montreal Expos
OF George Foster, Cincinnati Reds
OF Dusty Baker, Los Angeles Dodgers
C Gary Carter, Montreal Expos
✮
P Fernando Valenzuela, Los Angeles Dodgers AT LAST TH R E E COLLEG E WOR LD SE R I ES
1980
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1B Cecil Cooper, Milwaukee Brewers
2B Willie Randolph, New York Yankees
3B George Brett, Kansas City Royals
SS Robin Yount, Milwaukee Brewers
OF Ben Oglivie, Milwaukee Brewers
OF Al Oliver, Texas Rangers CAL STATE FULLERTON. RICE. back-to-back-to-back College World Series Fullerton and Texas – used Louis-
OF Willie Wilson, Kansas City Royals
TH E U N IVE RSITY OF TEXAS. ville Slugger’s TPX line of equipment.
C Lance Parrish, Detroit Tigers titles and have been as much a fixture
DH Reggie Jackson, New York Yankees What do these three teams have in at the College World Series as hotdogs ✮ Louisville Slugger teams won nine
NATIONAL LEAGUE common? Each has won the College World and the singing of the national anthem. of the fifteen games played at the
1B Keith Hernandez, St. Louis Cardinals 2004 College World Series.
Series during the last three years. And Our winning stats don’t stop there.
2B Manny Trillo, Philadelphia Phillies
Check out these numbers:
3B Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies by no coincidence, all three chose Louis- That’s why the list of Who’s Who in College
SS Gary Templeton, St. Louis Cardinals
OF Dusty Baker, Los Angeles Dodgers ville Slugger products at the plate and in ✮ Six of the past seven national col- Baseball – Stanford, University of Texas,
OF Andre Dawson, Montreal Expos the field at Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium. lege champions were Louisville Florida State, Cal State Fullerton, Rice and
OF George Hendrick, St. Louis Cardinals Slugger teams.
C Ted Simmons, St. Louis Cardinals When the country’s very best college teams others – select Louisville Slugger as part
P Bob Forsch, St. Louis Cardinals ✮ Twelve of the past fourteen teams in of their winning teams.
gather each year in Omaha, Louisville the last seven College World Series
Slugger’s line of TPX equipment takes a finals chose Louisville Slugger. After all, they play to win. And Louisville
prominent position on the mound and at ✮ Both teams in the 2004 national Slugger TPX is the gear that can help
AWAR D
the plate. That’s how we have helped win championship game – Cal State them do it.
13
 The Louisville Slugger Museum More than your standard tour, a visit to {THE OVAL ROOM}
the Louisville Slugger Museum is the This is our main gallery, where you’ll

WHERE BASEBALL HISTORY

complete baseball experience, brought see the genuine sticks swung by Ty
to you as only Louisville Slugger can. Cobb, Ted Williams, Hank Aaron and
Interactive and full of excitement and more. Count the homerun notches
history, the Louisville Slugger Museum Babe Ruth carved into his bat. Plus,

COMES TO LIFE
is a must for any lover of the game. you can learn about the history of the
game and handle the oddball experi-
{WORLD’S LARGEST BAT} mental bats of the past. And don’t forget
Start your day at the museum with a to stand behind our umpire statue and
stop at the largest baseball bat in the get the feel of a pro pitcher’s heat coming
world. A 68,000-pound steel monster, at you full force.
the bat is a to-scale replica of Babe
{THE FACTORY}
Ruth’s 34-inch bat. The signature of
This is where it all happens, where
Bud Hillerich is on the barrel, in honor
{THE FIELD} world-famous Louisville Sluggers are
of the man who turned the first Louis-

{ }
You leave the locker room and walk turned with the same pride that started
ville Slugger in 1884.
through the tunnel, the excitement in 1884. Witness the amazing precision
{THE THEATER} building. Then you step into the dugout, that our craftsmen use when making
Settle down in our theater to watch “The and there before you is Louisville Slug- the most famous bats in the world. You
Heart of the Game,” a thrilling insight into ger’s replica of Baltimore’s Camden can get a personalized bat with your own

FACE DOWN A 90 MPH ZINGER FROM ROGER CLEMENS.

Share a dugout with Mickey Mantle. Watch authentic Louisville
Slugger bats as they are created—from start to finish. It’s all part
of the thrills and fun of the LOUISVILLE SLUGGER MUSEUM.
the history of baseball and the crucial Yard. You can step into the announcer’s name on it and learn every step in the
part that Louisville Slugger has played booth and let our recordings bring to bat-making process. And all visitors
in the game over the years. You’ll dis- life some of the game’s most memorable get a free, miniature Louisville Slugger.
cover new tales and relive some of the achievements —Aaron’s 715th, Ripken’s
{THE GIFT SHOP}
sport’s legendary moments. legendary swat and more. Or listen to
Wrap up your visit by stopping in our
our batboy spin yarns about the game’s
gift shop. You can grab your favorite
{THE GLOVE} bygone era. It’s a great way to help
souvenir from our hockey, golf or base-
It’s certainly not regulation. But it’s the the game come alive.
ball sections. It’s the perfect way to end
biggest ball glove you and your buddies
your trip and take a little bit of Louis-
will ever see. Sculpted from Kentucky
ville Slugger home with you.
limestone formed 450 million years
ago, the 17-ton glove sculpture was If you’ve yet to experience the Louis-
crafted by Kimberly Hillerich, the ville Slugger Museum, start planning
great-great granddaughter of Bud Hill- your visit soon. Because if you love
erich, and Albert Nelson. The sculp- baseball, this is one experience you
ture is entitled “Play Ball.” don’t want to miss.

14
 F R O M N O T S O

LUMBER LEGEND
THE MAKING OF A MAJOR LEAGUE LOUISVILLE SLUGGER WOOD BAT
Swing a Louisville Slugger, and you’re swinging a piece of timber that’s been around for more than 60 years. That’s how long it takes for a tree to mature
into suitable lumber. In fact, you’d 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 today’s pros, the majority of bats are made from white ash. However, not
just any white ash can become a Louisville Slugger. In fact, the only ash up to Louisville Slugger standards grows along a 200-mile stretch of land on the
New York-Pennsylvania border. The soil, rain, sun – everything is just right there. That’s where the best bats in the world, Louisville Slugger bats, come from.
HOW LOUISVILLE SLUGGER MAKES ALUMINUM BATS
In World War II, the need for lighter, faster aircraft led to a renaissance in the manufacturing and processing of aluminum. Little did anybody know, it would
later lead to a technological revolution in America’s favorite pastime – a revolution that came in the form of aluminum bats. The aluminum bat was actually
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 wasn’t until the 1970s that
aluminum began replacing wood as the material of choice for sending baseballs flying. Today, Louisville Slugger makes more than a million aluminum bats a
year. Without getting overly technical, here’s a quick look at how these durable, high-performance bats are made.

LET’S 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 is
inspected again, and
the best billets get
shipped to Louisville,
Kentucky, and stored until they’re
ready to be turned. That’s 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
it’s all over, you’ve got a bat.
THE NEW BAT is removed from the
lathe and sanded smooth as silk, then
branded with a model number and
the 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
it’s 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 done
by hand. Machines do it all now, so what
used to take 15 minutes now takes less
than 15 seconds.
LOUISVILLE SLUGGER’S 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 they’re
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 a
bath 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 to eager batters all over the world. Base-
water-based solution, the bats move to balls beware. There is a steady supply of
an “aging furnace” where they will aluminum Louisville Slugger TPX bats on
endure temperatures of close to 300° for the way.
12 - 2 4 h o u r s . T h e p r o l o n g e d h e a t
strengthens the metal even further, and DID YOU KNOW?
prepares it for the final steps in the Aluminum is the most abundant metal in
manufacturing process. the earth’s crust, but it’s rarely found in
its pure form. It must be extracted
THE HOLLOW BATS are closed at one end from other compounds using an
with polyurethane caps before a welding electrical process.
machine adds a knob to each one.
NEXT, THE BATS ARE
POLISHED and silkscreen printed
with impact-resistant paint, then
outfitted with synthetic grips.
DECALS GO ON right before
the bats are packaged and sent

16 17
 HOW TO
CHOOSE A
BAT
FEW DECISIONS IMPACT YOUR GAME as
much as choosing the perfect bat. You want
a bat that’s the right weight, right length and
right barrel size for you — and within your
budget. Improvements in technology have
given today’s ball player more options than
ever, so you’re 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 you’re in the pros or playing in a
wood-bat league, we’ll assume that you’ll
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 bat
for maximum power. Smaller players usually
benefit from a lighter bat that allows greater bat
speed. To determine the weight that’s right for
you, swing a variety of bats and see how much
weight you’re comfortable with.
LENGTH.
Length and weight combine for peak
performance. 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 different lengths to decide
what length best suits you.
BARREL DIAMETER .
Most players 12 and
under 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 leagues
have 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 before you go bat shopping.
18
ALLOY.
Several different
aluminum alloys are used in
today’s 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. Here’s 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 great
combination 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 scandium
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 you’re looking for
the ultimate high-performance alloy, this is it.
AIR CHAMBER & OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES. BAT SELECTION CHART. The best way to find the right bat is to start with the sizing
Many Louisville Slugger high-performance chart. Then try different size bats in that general length range. The bat that feels comfort-
bats feature inflatable chambers filled with able and easy to swing should be selected.
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.
.
.
ALUMINUM BAT CARE TIPS
LIMIT THE BAT TO YOUR
.
INDIVIDUAL USE ONLY. ROTATE THE BAT 1/4
TURN EACH SWING.
FEEL.
DO NOT USE IN TEMPERATURES
.
This
may be the most important BELOW 60° (16° C).
factor. Make sure the bat feels
DO NOT HIT WATER-
right to you, like an extension of your
LOGGED BALLS.
arm and hand. After all, you’re going to
be spending quite a bit of time together.
SO YOU’VE CHOSEN YOUR BAT. NOW
.
WHAT? You want to be comfortable and DO NOT STORE THE BAT IN
confident with your bat before you swing it EXTREME HOT OR COLD TEMPER-
.
in a win-or-lose situation, so take it to the ATURES, SUCH AS IN A CAR TRUNK
practice field or batting cage and get in a OR GARAGE.
few hits. Confidence can only come from
.
DO NOT CLEAN METAL SPIKES OR
one thing: batting practice. Whatever bat CLEATS WITH YOUR BAT.
.
you choose, put in plenty of practice time,
so you’ll be ready when the pressure’s on I F USING A SOFTBALL BAT, DO NOT USE BALLS
THAT EXCEED 400 LBS. COMPRESSION.
.
at the plate. USE WITH LEATHER- COVERED BALLS ONLY,
NOT PLASTIC OR RUBBER CAGE BALLS.
ROUTINELY CHECK YOUR PLASTIC END CAP AND
REPLACE IT IF IT CRACKS OR BECOMES LOOSE.
19
{ There are as many myths and methods to breaking in a baseball glove as there are players in Major League
Baseball. Some pretty bizarre substances and practices have been endorsed over the years — from rubbing in
shaving cream to running over the glove with a car — to soften the mitt and suit it to your hand. But when it
comes down to it, there are a few proven methods that can get your glove in game condition. }

HOW TO BREAK IN A BASEBALL GLOVE

SOFTEN THE LEATHER.
MOLD THE POCKET.
To conform
your glove to your hand and your You want a nice,
game, the first step is to soften the round, roomy pocket for your glove when
leather. Any number of creams, you’re fielding grounders or snatching
oils and foams will do the those line-drive bullets out of the air.
job. Most pros prefer The tried-and-true method for achieving
Neetsfoot Oil. But no this is to place a ball firmly where you
matter what you choose to want your pocket to be and then close
soften your mitt with, remember that less is your glove securely around the ball by
more and that too much oil or foam will not tying a shoestring around it or using a
get you closer to your goal. In fact, it will large rubber band. Because time is needed
probably damage your glove. So remove to get the pocket started, let the glove sit for
the excess product after you have applied
it, and don’t over-moisten the leather.
a day or two while the shape starts to form. SOMETIMES A NAME JUST SUMS IT ALL UP.
We know — the “D” word is not to be used lightly. But if anyone’s got a record in Omaha to back it up, it’s Louisville Slugger.
PLAY BALL! Of course the
That’s why the names DynastyTM and Omaha® felt right at home on the barrels of our newest bats. Tune in to the College World Series
best way to create your pocket
and match your glove to
A GOOD GLOVE should last many
years, so patience and dedication should be
June 17-26/27 to see the newest Omaha and the aptly named Dynasty with ST+20 alloy in action.

your hand is to use the

used when breaking it in. If you follow these THE OFFICIAL BAT OF AMERICA’S PASTIME. TM

glove. Before you take it out

guidelines, you should be able to hand the glove www.slugger.com
to the game, grab a buddy and
down to your kids when they’re ready to get in
catch some balls. This, more
the game.
than anything else, will help you
form the glove to your hand.
© 2005 Hillerich & Bradsby Co., Louisville, KY. All rights reserved.

20
OTHERS MAKE BATS. WE MAKE HISTORY.

THE OFFICIAL BAT OF AMERICA’S PASTIME.TM

www.slugger.com