Hillerich & Bradsby Hillerich woodworking shop. J. F. Hillerich was uninterested in making bats; he saw the company future in stair railings, porch columns and swinging butter churns. In fact, for a brief time in the 1880s, he even turned away ball players. Bud, however, saw the potential in producing baseball bats, and the elder Hillerich eventually relented to his son. The bats were sold under the name "Falls City Slugger" until Bud Hillerich took over his father's company in , and the name "Louisville Slugger" was registered with the U.S. Patent Office. In , Honus Wagner signed a deal with the company,
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