LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Louisville Business First) - The Louisville Slugger Museum & Bat Factory soon will let its guests hold another piece of baseball history in their hands.
The museum will add a Babe Ruth game bat to its collection in honor of the 100th anniversary of Ruth signing his bat contract with Louisville-based Hillerich & Bradsby Co. H&B manufactures Louisville Slugger Bats and owned the Louisville Slugger brand from its inception until a 2015 sale to Wilson Sporting Goods Co. in 2015.
The bat goes on display Monday after a 11 a.m. ceremony at the museum.
The bat was used by Ruth during the 1933-34 Major League Baseball season, according to a news release, and later was given to semi-professional baseball player Frederick Dugger. The bat was a special order by Ruth and was modified for training purposes.
"It exhibits heavy use and traits of other bats Ruth used, such as handle scoring, stitching impressions and grain swelling," the release states.
Ruth signed his bat contract with H&B on July 9, 1918, for $100 and a set of the company's golf clubs. Ruth's contract is the only one signed by H&B that gives the bat maker unlimited rights to reproduce Ruth's bats. Other bat contracts signed between H&B and professional players expire after a set amount of time.
