Batter Up!

So while my parents were here, we decided to check out the Louisville Slugger museum. My dad was especially excited about this, as he has a rich baseball history playing Triple A ball years ago.He actually had a contract with Louisville Slugger when he played in the minor leagues, so he brought his bat because my on-top-of-it mom thought it would make a great picture at the museum! We thought we'd show up and do all the touristy things - read the sidewalk plaques... stare at the bat factory through panes of glass...The picture did turn out great - my dad with his bat in front of the biggest bat they've ever made! Seriously!Little did we know, we would walk into this museum and get to experience an incredibly special moment. In the lobby, there is a wall of all the signatures from the only 8,000 ball players in history who have ever had a contract with Louisville Slugger. We stood and scoured the wall for dad's name - all of us, I think, with a small doubt that it would actually be there (even him) - when Grant yells out, "OH, BUDDY!!!!!"You can see the surprise on my dad's face! Yep! Billy Severns. We had no clue that all of these years, his name is on the wall of a museum! It was the coolest moment! And it would only get better...Suddenly, we weren't just tourists anymore. We felt like members. :) Dad posed by "The Signature Wall" with his bat.I took about fifty pictures that all look like this, while Mom and Dad gasped and laughed at all of the names they recognized of their friends on the wall.Dad's my claim to fame. After all, I was conceived during Spring training! (only a student midwife would so boldly make such a claim, huh?) Grant was so excited too - it was such a fun thing for all of us to get to be there for the discovery. So then we enjoyed the museum. It's such a fun thing to do if you're ever in Louisville!Naomi met Babe Ruth... and we went on the 25-min tour through the bat factory. We had the greatest tour guide, who ended up talking with Dad and invited us to meet him at the "Bat Vault" later in the afternoon. When he found out about Dad's history, he wanted to give us the opportunity to see his original bat template and other bats from famous ball players.There were about six other people with us on the bat vault tour, an activity not open to the general public. It was such a cool room...Bill and Don. Don was asking all sorts of baseball history questions and yes, my father nailed 'em all. I was quite impressed!So then Don leans over and says, "Now, let's have some fun with this bat of yours, Bill..."And he pulls out Dad's original contract with Slugger! It was so cool to see! And for the record, Bill Severns was paid $200 when he signed with Louisville. Hank Aaron? $50. Just sayin'.What a fabulous day. We wrapped it up by spending a ridiculous amount of money in the gift shop. And talking about how my brothers will have to come to visit so they can see the factory as well... you're awesome, Dad!