LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

Louisville is home to a number of sports icons: the Kentucky Derby is run at Churchill Downs every May; Muhammad Ali was born as Cassius Clay in Louisville in 1941; and thousands of Louisville Slugger bats are produced at the Hillerich & Bradsby factory every year. Of course, sports is not all that Louisville is known for: it reputedly produces over half of the world's bourbon and is headquarters to the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant chain.

Louisville is located in north-central Kentucky, on the banks of the Ohio River, just next to the Falls of Ohio. It is named for Louis XVI of France who was king at the time the city was founded. 

The downtown core contains numerous attractions, including new Louisville Slugger Field, the Louisville Slugger Musuem, and the Lousiville Science Center. Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum are located about 3 miles south of the city.

Out of all these attractions, we of course must recommend the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory tour. Easy to spot because of the massive 120-foot tall baseball bat that marks its entrance, the museum is located at H&B's headquarters on Main Street at 8th Street. The museum itself is interesting for baseball fans as it highlights the best hitters throughout history and also has some good memorabilia, but what makes it memorable is the factory tour, where you can see with your own eyes the process that all Louisville Slugger bats must undergo. The tour is conducted with a touch of southern humour, and each step in the process is explained on a video screen. It is hard to believe that only 34 factory workers turn out all those bats. Some other cool things include a pitching display which illustrates just how fast a Pedro Martinez 95 mph fastball really is. If you are going to see a ballgame in Louisville, make sure to walk the few blocks east and check out this museum as well.

A'Rod's 2000 Silver Slugger Award