Hillerich & Bradsby

Hillerich & Bradsby Company is a company located in Louisville, Kentucky that produces the famous Louisville Slugger baseball bat. H&B also makes baseball gloves, hockey sticks, hockey gloves, golf clubs (see PowerBilt), golf gloves and other equipment.

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The Hillerich family's woodworking shop first opened in 1855. According to company legend, their first baseball bat was made in 1884 for the Louisville-born Pete "The Gladiator" Browning of the Louisville Eclipse. The bats were sold under the name "Falls City Slugger" until around 1894 when the name "Louisville Slugger" was trademarked. In 1905, Honus Wagner signed a deal with the company, becoming the first baseball player to officially endorse a bat. Frank Bradsby, a salesman, became a partner in 1916 and the company's name changed to Hillerich and Bradsby. During World War II, the company produced wooden rifle stocks and Billy clubs for the U.S. Army. In 1954, the company purchased Larimer and Norton, Inc., a Pennsylvanian lumber company to ensure a supply of hardwood for their products.

In 1974 the company had relocated across the river to Jeffersonville, Indiana, taking advantage of the nearby railroad. In the 1990s the company returned to Kentucky.

The Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory provides tours to the public. [http://www.sluggermuseum.org/virtualtour.aspx Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory]

Trivia

*The Louisville Slugger is mentioned in the popular Carrie Underwood song from 2006, "Before He Cheats". The company presented Underwood with two special custom-made bats in 2008 in honor of the song winning a Grammy Award. [http://www.keyetv.com/content/entertainment/watercooler/story.aspx?content_id=dcef2376-f52a-43f7-9c1f-83c9e6bd15f4]
*It is also mentioned in the Dire Straits' song "The Bug" from their 1991 album "On Every Street"
*Also mentioned in the song "Mama's gotta die tonight" performed by Body Count
*Also mentioned in the song "Batting Practice" performed by Souls of Mischief
*A song from West Coast rapper Eazy-E called "Sorry Louie" on the album Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton album also mention the Louisville Slugger.
*Also parodied in the film Super Troopers.
*The Louisville Slugger can be used as a weapon in Fallout 2
*Louisville Slugger is one of the many nicknames for the F-4 Phantom aircraft.