A few weeks ago I did a column on my boyhood dream of becoming a big leaguer. I told about a special bat I acquired from a nice lady on my paper route; how it belonged to her son who had not returned from the war. How the bat was split by a friend the day after I got it. I reminded him to keep the label up, facing  the sky, but he didn't listen. He broke my Louisville Sluggger. He was very sorry. So was I. I never got to swing it, not even once at a pitch, as I mostly rode the pine on the end of the bench. But there is good news. 

Someone found my column online who sent it to a special person in Kentucky. 

    A few days ago I got a package in the mail. I was astonished that a brand new, shiny black Louisville Slugger was inside the box and it had my name engraved up at the top. Also inside was a letter I share with you now from Rick Redman, VP Corporate Communications for the makers of the Slugger (Hillerich and Bradsby) out of Kentucky.

I wept with joy as I hefted this beautiful piece of work. Never could I have dreamed how important a baseball bat would mean to me. My heart was full . 

He told me lots of kids have shared stories about how much they love their Sluggers. That he too had broken his bat and wrapped it up with friction tape (it doesn"t work as good). I eventually lost my bat; Mom  probably tossed it .

It is a crowning moment in my life. I have my very own Louisville Slugger again; so many years after the first one. My sincere thanks go to Mr. Redman and the kind folks in Kentucky.

I might be riding the pine in the sunset of my life, but I plan to swing away and keep the label "up".

Best to you all,

Jerry Robinson

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Dear Jerry:

Your recent piece titled Baseball Memories and my favorite bat came to my attention through our daily media monitoring reports.  It is a wonderful story, the kind we hear frequently from people who loved their Louisville Slugger bats when they were kids.  Actually, I have my very first Louisville Slugger at home, wrapped in black electrical tape from when it broke!

We continue to make special memories for kids playing ball today, although it’s with our aluminum, composite, and hybrid bats more often than wood bats these days.  Of course, we make both non-wood and wood bats, and remain the Official Bat of Major League Baseball.

Realizing the special bond you had with your bat, I just wanted to reach out to you and commend you for sharing such a special story that so many people can relate to.  In addition, since you never got another bat, I wanted to send you one - a brand new Louisville Slugger personalized with your name on it!  Now “Jerry Robinson” is on a Louisville Slugger bat just as the names of Major League Baseball stars are on theirs.

If you are ever in our part of the country please be sure to come visit us at our world class Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory where you can watch our production staff make bats for the big leaguers.  You can also hold game used bats from stars like Mickey Mantle, Johnny Bench, and Cal Ripken Jr., among others.

Meanwhile, we hope you enjoy your new Louisville Slugger bat!

Best wishes, 

Rick Redman
VP Corporate Communication
Hillerich & Bradsby Co.,
Louisville Slugger    

Jerry Robinson is our publisher and can be reached at Publisher@robinsonnews.com