History of Louisville, Kentucky charter member. While the Grays were a relatively short-lived team, playing for only two years, they began a much longer lasting relationship between the city and baseball. In 1883, John "Bud" Hillerich made his first baseball bat from white ash in his father's wood shop. The first bat was produced for Pete "The Gladiator" Browning of the Louisville Eclipse (minor league team). The bats eventually become known by the popular name, "Louisville Slugger", and the local company Hillerich & Bradsby rapidly became one of the largest manufacturers of baseball bats and other sporting equipment in the world. Today, Hillerich &
Louisville Lightning a rematch of the US Open Cup final the previous year, except this time in San Diego. The outcome was a familiar one, losing 11-5. After an easy victory in the US Open Cup over the Evansville Crush 25-3, Louisville welcomed San Diego to Louisville again, losing 10-7, followed by a losing trip to Cincinnati 11-9. Following another easy US Open Cup victory over A.A.F.C. (following that team's impressive upset of the Detroit Waza in the first round) 23-5, Louisville sacked Detroit on the road 10-4, followed by yet another loss to Cincinnati 10-7. Standing at 2-6, Louisville made a