"Reliability for us has traditionally been a function of longevity," says Bob Hillerich, who oversees facilities and maintenance at the plant. H&B's status in regard to machinery maintenance is exceptional, but the way that it achieves high levels of plant reliability is evolving.įor the past quarter-century, the wood bat factory's difference-maker has been knowledge and experience, mixed with the teachings of W. In the U.S., he averages 181 singles per season. Conversely, Ichiro Suzuki averaged nearly 17 home runs per season in the Japan League, but found his role in Major League Baseball as a singles hitter. He had nearly half as many round-trippers as singles. But from 1920 to 1933, a span of 1,959 games, he averaged one home run every 10.8 at-bats. He averaged one homer every 33.9 at-bats. In his first 261 games, Babe Ruth had nearly six times as many singles as home runs. The Louisville Slugger brand name was trademarked in 1894.īallplayers evolve over the course of their career in order to maintain or enhance their status. Hillerich IV is the current president and CEO. "Jack" Hillerich III is the chairman of the board and the great-grandson of company founder J.A. H&B makes nearly 70 percent of the bats used by major-leaguers and 80 percent of the bats used by minor-leaguers.Ĭapacity: The plant annually produces approximately 1 million baseball bats, including 60,000 for major-league players.įYI: The company, at one time, produced 7 million wooden bats per year. Products: Louisville Slugger baseball bats for major-league and minor-league professional players, as well as recreational ballplayers. Plant employment: 155 employees, including 53 unionized plant-floor workers the latter total includes five hourly maintenance workers. Site size: 100,000 square feet, including 16,000 devoted to bat production. Plant: Hillerich & Bradsby, located on Main Street in downtown Louisville, Ky. A former machine operator, he is one of the plant's two millwrights. In the reliability game, H&B's manufacturing facility in downtown Louisville, Ky., swings a pretty mean stick.īill Dreschel was hired by Hillerich & Bradsby in 1966. For every 100 official at-bats, he failed to hit safely 66 times.Īt the bat, failure is an accepted and unavoidable part of the game.Īt the bat plant, though, failure is completely unacceptable and avoidable. While Williams' career average is seventh-best all-time, it still equates to a 65.6 percent failure rate. "We're trying to get guys to feel as comfortable as they can while they are failing 70 percent of the time at what they're trying to do," says Chuck Schupp, the director of professional baseball at Hillerich & Bradsby. "The Splendid Splinter" ended his Hall of Fame career with a. 290 hitter without a Louisville Slugger," Williams frequently bellowed. With 123 years (and counting) under its belt, the bat and the company have earned a reputation for quality, craftsmanship and overall manufacturing excellence. "Bud" Hillerich turned out the very first product in 1884. The Hillerich & Bradsby Company, maker of the Louisville Slugger, has had a storied, romantic relationship with the game of baseball - and its players and fans - since John A. He said, 'Hey, call 'em up and have them send up another bed.' It was that simple." Boy.' Then he swung the bat at the knob of my bedpost and knocked my bed down. He's looking in the mirror and saying, 'Jesus Christ. The wood shavings were going all over my bed. ![]() He was shaving some of the handles on them. Feel that son of a bitch.' I looked at the bats and I sat on the bed and watched him. Louis - and Ted had just gotten some new bats," recounts former Boston Red Sox pitcher Charlie Wagner in David Cataneo's book "I Remember Ted Williams." "The minute I got in, he said, 'Feel these goddamn bats.' You know, he swore a lot. "One day I came into the hotel room - we were in St. ![]() ![]() ![]() Ballplayers, however, use more colorful language than their concert colleagues. Baseball players speak of the Louisville Slugger bat the same way violinists dote over the Stradivarius or pianists praise the Steinway.
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