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SHEFFIELD’S 500TH HR HIT WITH LOUISVILLE SLUGGER® M9
18 of 25 500 HR CLUB MEMBERS UNDER CONTRACT WITH LOUISVILLE SLUGGER

LOUISVILLE, KY – Gary Sheffield became the 25th member of baseball’s ultra-elite 500 home run club on April 17th. He did it swinging his M9 maple, R161 model Louisville Slugger® 125th anniversary logo bat. Louisville Slugger is celebrating 125 years in baseball during the 2009 season.

"We’re excited for Sheff," said Chuck Schupp, Louisville Slugger’s Director of Professional Baseball. "He ranks among the greatest hitters of all time. No matter where he’s played he’s produced."

That’s a fact. Home run number 500 was Sheffield’s first hit as a member of the New York Mets. With that hit Sheffield also joined an elite group of just six players with at least 500 home runs, 2,500 hits, 1,500 RBI’s, and 200 stolen bases. Sheffield is the 18th player under contract with Louisville Slugger to hit at least 500 homeruns. And while the other seven players in the 500 homerun club weren’t under contract with Louisville Slugger, they used Louisville Slugger bats often throughout their careers.

"Louisville Slugger bats have been used to hit more home runs and get more base hits than any bat in history," Schupp said. "Louisville Slugger is synonymous with baseball. We’re honored to celebrate our 125th anniversary this year. Eighty percent of the hitters in the Baseball Hall of Fame were under contract with our company."

Louisville Slugger is the Official Bat of Major League Baseball. Sixty percent of MLB players today swing Louisville Slugger bats. To put that in perspective, there are 30 other bat companies approved by MLB in the 2009 season.

500 HR CLUB MEMBERS UNDER CONTRACT WITH LOUISVILLE SLUGGER®

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