We returned to the scene of the crime and visited the Kentucky Derby Museum. Jim had a friend or two he still wanted to buy souvenirs for, so that was something we hoped to take care of at the museum. Usually tours of Churchill Downs are offered but today the tour was understandably unavailable while the facilities we had just helped trash the day before were being cleaned.
Statue of the ill-fated Barbaro out front. What continues to amaze me is how young these animals are. Horses that race the Kentucky Derby are only three years old.It was interesting how the museum treated the whole event. It all seemed to be much more about the culture of the Derby and the events that lead up to it than the race itself.
At times the museum became much more technical than I was interested in. This is about how different kinds of dirt affect a race. Yawn.
At times the museum became much more technical than I was interested in. This is about how different kinds of dirt affect a race. Yawn.
Jimbo having the time of his life on the horse simulator. What I learned from this game is that even if you beat your horse continuously you will still get last place.The museum was worth the peek. The Derby really is a unique event.
Next we checked out the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. The first thing a visitor sees is this multistory baseball bat propped up against the museum's building.
This place was pretty cool. They had a ton on the process of contracts the players sign which I thought was interesting. They can't get their signature on a bat until they sign a contract to exclusively use Louisville Slugger bats.
One thing that was different was the Hold a Piece of History area. After putting on a pair of white cotton gloves, you could get your picture taken while holding a famous player's bat. I chose Mickey Mantle.
The company made rifle stocks during wartime.
Then came the factory tour. The whole process was interesting. They showed the way they spin the bats through this cutting machine. The machine that made the bats for professional players was even fancier. They burned the logo into the bats by hand, which seemed like it would take a really long time. Pretty cool.
Next we checked out the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. The first thing a visitor sees is this multistory baseball bat propped up against the museum's building.
This place was pretty cool. They had a ton on the process of contracts the players sign which I thought was interesting. They can't get their signature on a bat until they sign a contract to exclusively use Louisville Slugger bats.
One thing that was different was the Hold a Piece of History area. After putting on a pair of white cotton gloves, you could get your picture taken while holding a famous player's bat. I chose Mickey Mantle.
The company made rifle stocks during wartime.
Then came the factory tour. The whole process was interesting. They showed the way they spin the bats through this cutting machine. The machine that made the bats for professional players was even fancier. They burned the logo into the bats by hand, which seemed like it would take a really long time. Pretty cool.So that's that. My three days in Kentucky were a ton of fun. Maybe I'll go again next year.
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