For nearly a century-and-a-half, Louisville Slugger has been synonymous with America’s Pastime. Hall of Famers, Most Valuable Players and World Series champions have swung the best wood in the game over the years – and right this moment, we’re already writing the next chapter in the game’s history.

HITS BY THE NUMBERS

Baseball is a game of numbers and, over the years, Louisville Slugger has played a part in some pretty remarkable accomplishments, both in our factory and on the field.

Number of plate appearances Derek Jeter had in his two-decade career, all of which came with his holding a Louisville Slugger P72 turning model.

At the onset of his career, Babe Ruth swung a monster 50-ounce bat, the heaviest Louisville Slugger model ever turned.

8,000

Number of bat model variations made by the Louisville Slugger factory.

1,800,000

Number of wood bats that leave the H&B factory in Louisville annually.

An apprentice in his father’s woodworking shop, John A. “Bud” Hillerich headed out one spring afternoon to take in a Louisville Eclipse game, the city’s major league team. After seeing Eclipse superstar Pete Browning break his bat that day, Hillerich offered to make the slumping slugger a new bat at his father’s shop.

Despite Browning’s teammates flooding to the Hillerich shop for bats, Bud’s father saw a very different future for the company in stair railings, porch columns and swinging butter churns. At times in the 1880s, he actually turned away professional ball players seeking new bats.

But Bud persisted and, after some time, his father relented to his son’s unyielding enthusiasm.

BUILDING A LEGACY

You can't appreciate where Louisville Slugger is at today without acknowledging the role its played in the careers of generations of Americans, both on and off the ball field.

Factory workers produce munitions equipment for troops overseas.

Jackie Robinson with National League President Ford Frick during Robinson's Silver Bat Award presentation for his accomplishments during the 1949 season, 1950.

New York Yankee Mickey Mantle and Detroit Tiger Al Kaline display their Louisville SLugger award, June 1957.

Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn inspects a Louisville Slugger bat on one of his many visits to the factory, 1990s.

During both World War I and World War II, Louisville Slugger went from focusing on baseball bats to producing needed armaments for American troops overseas, playing a critical role in the war effort.

Louisville Slugger signs Jackie Robinson to a bat contract on Oct. 31 – nearly six months before Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers in April 1947.

Hank Aaron hits his 715th career home run, surpassing Babe Ruth and becoming baseball’s all-time home run king.

Cal Ripken Jr. breaks Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played streak, appearing in his 2,131st straight contest.

Louisville Slugger markets the company’s first internally designed and manufactured composite material bat made from aerospace grade fibers and epoxy resins.  The “Catalyst” bat is a huge hit in the softball and Fastpitch markets, with the University of Michigan Fastpitch team using the bat to win the Women’s College World Series.