2018 16-17 Two Rivers Campground and Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory

Two Rivers Campground, Carrollton, Kentucky - February 15, 2018

A lot of water all over Kentucky. Dogs are very disappointed to find the path covered with overflow. 

We have gotten rain 3 of 4 days in Padukah and 5 of 7 days here in Carrollton. Good news is the coach is dry inside. Bad news is the tool bags in the truck bed box were wet and so were the tools inside. We will have to figure out a way to keep more water out of the box. 

Louisville Slugger Factory, Louisville, Kentucky - February 17, 2018

The mega bat is actually metal and stands 120 feet high. It is an exact-replica of the 34-inch bat used by Babe Ruth. They do not allow photography in the factory but there are two different sets of lathes - one set has 5 super large machines used to carve the minor league, sales and mini bats. There is a total separate set of machines used for the major league players bats. The wood selection, length, weight, stain (or not), paint (or not), knob and depth of cupping (boring) in the bat end are chosen by the player. 

Bob holds an Albert Pujols signature bat. 34 inches, 31 Ounces. This factory carved bed posts, spindles and swinging butter churns, and baseball bats starting in 1884 by hand. 

The Johnny Bench bat is 35 inches, 32 ounces. Any ball player can request a personally designed bat or use one of the previously designed bat.

The Bat Vault where anyone can hold a bat designed for Ted Williams, Hank Aaron and Derek Jeeter. Some are replicas since older bats are brittle and not on display. 

A Babe Ruth Model. 

RJ Reynolds who played for 8 seasons, Dodgers and Pirates. 

A double knob bat. These styles were suppose to be like a counterweight to the head of the bat. I would love to see someone use this in a game. 

The P72 model is the most popular style for major league players. Created in 1954 and is the only retired model because Derek Jeeter used this style during his minor and major league careers. The Louisville Slugger Company decided to retire this model number when Jeeter retired and renamed it DJ2. The only exception would be for a direct family member of the original player, Les Pinkham. So keep your eyes open for Zeke Pinkham playing at the University of Louisville and projected to be picked early in the draft.  

About 3000 bats are housed in the vault. There are additional bats in Cooperstown and in storage here that need special atmospheric conditions.

Bat model for Stan "The Man" Musial.

The "G69". A replica of the Lou Gehrig model. An original is under glass at the factory. 

Check out Bob's pitching in the simulator.

One strike, one ball and one foul tip. That black dot on the catcher's mitt is his pitch. Nice going. 

Model M159, 34.5 inches, 32-33 ounces. Stan Musial.

Factory atrium

Signature plaque for Ozzie Smith. Each player who signs with H&B has a plaque in the lobby. These signatures are transferred onto metal and burned into each of their ordered bats.

Bob in the batting cages, choking up for the shorter swing of a slasher. 

A 450-million year old piece of Kentucky limestone carved into a 17-ton ball and glove sculpture.

Lunch a couple blocks away at the Mussel & Burger, of which we had neither.
Big Flakes of snow are coming down outside. 

Bob had a local brew, Kentucky Kolsch and Seafood Sliders. I had the mac-n-cheese with bacon and fried cheese curds. So rich I couldn't eat more than half.

As if Kentucky needs any more precipitation, we had rain changing to snow today.