Batty About FanFest
We can’t wait to be a part of MLB T-Mobile All-Star FanFest this Friday, July 10th, through Tuesday, July 14th. Fans will have the chance to “Hold a Piece of History” as part of our set-up. This rare opportunity allows fans to actually touch and hold game-used bats from baseball legends Roberto Clemente, Stan Musial, Cal Ripken, Jr., Pete Rose, and Carl Yastrzemski, as well as current star Giancarlo Stanton. The museum will also have replica bat models from Ernie Lombardi, Brandon Phillips, and Edd Roush.
The Roberto Clemente bat was used in the 1970 season by the Puerto Rican star and humanitarian. During the ninth inning of the 1970 All-Star Game at Riverfront Stadium, Clemente’s pinch-hit sacrifice fly drove in Joe Morgan for the tying run, and the National League went on to a 5-4 victory.
Cardinals fans will be delighted to hold the museum’s Stan Musial bat, that was used during the 1960 season. Musial was named to his 21st All-Star Game that year, and went on to appear in three more. He shares the record for second-most All-Star Game appearances with Willie Mays at 24 each. Another Louisville Slugger guy, Hank Aaron, holds the all-time record with 25 All-Star appearances. In the 1953 All-Star Game at Crosley Field, Musial went 2-for-4 in the National League’s 5-1 win.
Visitors to Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory can hold a game-used Cal Ripken, Jr. bat from the 1980’s as part of the museum’s permanent “Hold a Piece of History” exhibit, but we’re also taking it on the road with us to FanFest! Ripken was the starting American League shortstop at the 1988 All-Star Game at Riverfront Stadium.
Of course, a trip to All-Star FanFest would not be complete without a bat from Cincinnati’s own Pete Rose. The Hit King used the bat to smack his 2,000th career hit on June 19, 1973. Rose is responsible for one of the most iconic and controversial moments in All-Star history, that took place at the 1970 All-Star Game in Cincinnati. He scored from second base in the bottom of the twelfth inning, bowling over American League catcher Ray Fosse to hand the National League the win.
Carl Yastrzemski became just the second player in All-Star Game history to be named MVP while on the losing team. He took home the honor for the 1970 game in Cincinnati, and was the last player to win the award while on the losing team. Yastrzemski went 4-for-6 in the game with a run and an RBI. Fans can hold a bat he used during the 1970’s.
One of the top young sluggers in the game, Giancarlo Stanton was voted to his third All-Star Game this season. Stanton led the National League in home runs (37) in 2014 and went on to win his first Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award. The bat fans can hold was used by Stanton during the 2013 season.
The replica bats fans can hold are full of their own history. The Ernie Lombardi model bat is the same model the slugger used during the 1938 All-Star Game at Crosley Field, in which he was the only National League batter to collect two hits. Lombardi also drove in the second run of that game, boosting the National League to a 2-1 victory.
Hall of Famer Edd Roush played in an era before All-Star Games, but he twice led the league in hitting while playing with the heaviest Louisville Slugger bat consistently used in the history of the game. The monster bat weighs in at 48oz, a full pound and a half heavier than the Giancarlo Stanton bat on display.
Cincinnati fan-favorite Brandon Phillips had the honor of leading off the National League lineup at the 2013 All-Star Game. The three-time All-Star second baseman and 2011 Silver Slugger Award winner has his own Louisville Slugger bat model, the DDBP4.
We’ll also be giving away an autographed Johnny Bench bat to one lucky fan who signs up for our e-mail newsletter list! Check out our main page for more information on FanFest, and keep up with our adventures there on Facebook.