FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:

Lisa Mills

Louisville Sports Commission

502-689-2976

lmills@louisvillesports.org

Rick Redman

Hillerich & Bradsby Co.

502-741-3362

Rick.Redman@hb1884.com

Hillerich Family Named Presenting Sponsor of the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame

Louisville, Ky. – June 11, 2026 – The Louisville Sports Commission (LSC) announced today that the Hillerich Family, owners of Hillerich & Bradsby Co., has been named the presenting sponsor of the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame.

Founded in 1963 and operated by the LSC since 2018, the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame recognizes athletes and sports figures who are Kentucky natives, as well as individuals who have participated in their respective sport or made a significant impact in a sport-related field in Kentucky. Hillerich & Bradsby, creator and manufacturer of Louisville Slugger®, was inducted into the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 and is one of only three organizations ever selected for the Hall of Fame, along with Churchill Downs and Valhalla Golf Club.

This new partnership reflects a shared commitment to celebrating athletic excellence and preserving Kentucky’s rich sports heritage.

“Our family has had the privilege of serving some of the greatest athletes in sports history, from legends like Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams, and Ken Griffey Jr. to today’s stars,” said H&B board member and sixth-generation family member Andrew Clark. “We’ve been fortunate to witness how these athletes have inspired communities, broken barriers and left lasting legacies. We are honored to support the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame to celebrate that same spirit of excellence, leadership and impact here at home in Kentucky. For generations, our family has believed that great athletes leave a mark far beyond the playing field.”

The Hillerich family also created the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory® tourist attraction in downtown Louisville and have long been associated with recognizing achievement at the highest levels of sports. That includes its annual Silver Slugger Awards™, which are Major League Baseball’s highest offensive honor, and the annual Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory Living Legend Award℠. The Hillerich Family’s ongoing philanthropic efforts reflect 170 years of community commitment dating back to the family’s first woodturning shop on the Ohio River.

“The Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame exists to honor the individuals who have shaped the Commonwealth’s extraordinary sports legacy,” said Greg Fante, President & CEO of the Louisville Sports Commission. “The Hillerich family’s history of supporting athletics, celebrating achievement and investing in our community makes them the perfect presenting sponsor for the Hall of Fame. We are proud to partner with a family whose name is synonymous with sports history, both in Kentucky and across the country.”

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ABOUT Louisville Sports Commission

The Louisville Sports Commission (LSC) is a Louisville, Kentucky-based 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to create a legacy of economic and social vitality through sports. The LSC attracts and hosts sporting events and activities that have a positive economic impact on Louisville, enhance the area's image as a premier sports destination, promote healthy lifestyles and improve the quality of life for community members of all ages.

ABOUT Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame

Founded in 1963, the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame recognizes athletes and sports figures who are Kentucky natives, as well as individuals who have competed in their sport or made a significant impact on athletics in the Commonwealth. The KSHOF is owned and operated by the Louisville Sports Commission, a Louisville-based 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to create a legacy of economic and social vitality through sports.

ABOUT Hillerich & Bradsby Co.

Founded by German immigrant J. Frederich Hillerich in 1856, the company initially made wood products of the era, including porch railings, balusters and butter churns. In 1884 young John Andrew “Bud” Hillerich changed the company’s fate when he made a baseball bat for Louisville Eclipse player Pete Browning. The company became the first mass producer of baseball bats and grew into an American icon that has made bats for eighty percent of the hitters in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Today the company continues to make bats for the game’s greatest players, including Ronald Acuña Jr., Kyle Schwarber, and Louisville native and World Series champion Will Smith. The company also operates the renowned Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, named one of America’s top tourist attractions for sports fans, in addition to its Big Bat Bourbon™ Experience in downtown Louisville.