Went to LS Museum and Factory yesterday and had some strange answers to my questions.

[jbsportstuff]

Yesterday my father-in-law, son and I went to the Louisville Slugger museum and factory. Our factory tour(no cameras allowed)consisted of seeing several of the processes that are used on LS bats.

One of the tour highlights that I was looking forward to was the "powerized" process that LS uses on their pro-model bats. This was never explained or showed to us during the tour.

After the tour was over, and the little mini-bats were handed out to everyone, I asked the tour guide to explain the powerized process on the wooden bats.

According to Vince Malta's book "A complete Reference Guide to Louisville Slugger professional Player bats" Powerized is a process of - "a process that involves impregnating glue resin into the wood grain of bats." This has been done to virtually every pro H&B bat made since 1932.

The guide's response to my question was, "It is nothing....powerized is a process that we use on our aluminum bats and it means nothing to the wooden bat." I responded by telling him that they didn't make aluminum bats back in the 30's when they started putting powerized on the pro model bats.

He looked a little confused but kept to his story. He even said that, "They tried to take off the powerized word off the wooden bats....but the pro players like having it on their bats."

I gave him a "What the heck" look. I asked him if he was familiar with Vince Malta or his book....he was not.

Now I'm guessing that one of a few things are possible.

1. The guy is clueless.
2. It is a patented process that they don't want to talk about....but why would that be since they've been doing it since the 30's.
3. The guy is clueless.

That's my take.

After the tour was over, the tour guide was roaming around the museum and I pointed out a Dimaggio bat in the 1940's that had powerized on it. I said loudly, "See this bat proves that they put powerized on wooden bats before they even thought about making aluminum bats." He just smiled.

I was a little more than dissapointed about his response.

In retrospect, the tour was good, funny, and informative. I saw tons of gamers being made for big time/name ball players. That was the coolest part.

In the museum, they had some very very cool gamers from some of the all time greats of the game.

Not to complain too much, but they had a section of the museum where you could handle some gamers with white gloves. One of the gamers was a Mantle. On a quick exam, it was obvious that this bat never saw any game action at all. No rack marks, ball marks, cleat marks, pine tar, player markings at all. It was no doubt a game model...but no way a gamer that they were passing it off to be. I said something to the attendent and he admitted that they weren't sure. I told him that I was sure and gave him the evidence that I listed above. He just smiled.

30 seconds later he was handing in his own words, "A bat that was used by Mickey Mantle" to the next person in line. OH BROTHER.

On the whole, I loved the museum. It was a great experience. Just do not go looking to find any new information from visiting the museum...if you are an informative gamer lover. The guys working the museum/factory don't have much working knowledge of the history of their bats. If you go knowing that...you will have a much better time.

I'll try to post pics later.

[grenda12]

I went to that 2 yrs ago. I thought it was pretty interesting, but then again 2 years ago I knew nothing about game used bats. So I can see your point there.

[jbsportstuff]

One other note of interest....

The tour guide says that the maximum that LS pays a MLB for a contract to sell their bats is $5,000. When asked why so low the guide said that LS is a family owned company and can't afford to pay any more than that.

[ndevlin]

Not to bash on anyone at all, but talk about being unprofessional. Pretty shocked to hear your story.

Heck, I could get an 8 yr old to do that same exact tour you just explained, without even telling them what to say or do. This guy sounds like he just came off the streets. How disappointing to hear their silly responses to your questions.

[NFLELCollector]

What do you expect-" It's a Family Owned and Operated Buisness" and They Can't Afford to Pay, much less Educate their Employees (Who are Probably Local Community College or High School Kids) about the History of LS or the Processes by which Bats are Made!

Oh our Nations Education/School System is Really in Bad Shape, But THE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE! I hope i will be Dead and Gone Before i see that.

[BMH]

The last time we put the "Powerized" formula on a bat was some time in the 1950's...

In the "good old days" we use to coat our turning models in a shellac like coating to preserve it for copying...like the Mantle bat, so yes you wouldn't see a mark on the bat. Back then there was no museum and documentation/collecting of bats wasn't a high priority with our company.

Contracts are only worth $3500 over 3yrs.

[jbsportstuff]

The last time we put the "Powerized" formula on a bat was some time in the 1950's...

In the "good old days" we use to coat our turning models in a shellac like coating to preserve it for copying...like the Mantle bat, so yes you wouldn't see a mark on the bat. Back then there was no museum and documentation/collecting of bats wasn't a high priority with our company.

Contracts are only worth $3500 over 3yrs.

I wish that you would have been our tour guide.

We were there on Friday afternoon.

Thanks for the clarification.

[BMH]

I was around, was waiting for my crew to rush some Toulo bats so I could ship them and working on two new models for Bartlett and Koyie Hill.

[jbsportstuff]

I was around, was waiting for my crew to rush some Toulo bats so I could ship them and working on two new models for Bartlett and Koyie Hill.

I was on the 4:40 tour and the only people that were doing anything in the factory itself, were a couple of guys working inspection on some bats that looked almost finished. I'm guessing that was your team.

There were a few people walking around, but no one else was doing anything.

Next time I head down that way, I'll make sure that I let you know. I only live a little more than an hour away from Louisville.

[mskwarek]

I was down at the LS Museum on a Tuesday morning a couple weeks back during the huge rain storm that had manhole covers popping off of the streets throughout Louisville. We went on an early tour with a seasoned guide who really enjoyed the level of detailed questions that I was asking along the way. Ran into Josh Fields and his wife checking out the factory. At the end of the tour, during the handing out of the mini-bats, the guide asked me and my wife if we would like to go on the "special tour" at noon of the art collection on the 2nd floor.

I jumped at the chance (my wife was more interested in heading for the car, but she went along anyway) and was like a kid in a candy store. We got to meet Brian and his family (sadly I believe they got hit by the flooding) and was able to check out some early player/bat contracts that were locked away in a cabinet.

I had an excellent time, and was in the right place (the right tour guide) at the right time. Brian, thanks for allowing the noon special tours....

Mike