Baseball fans and families from all over gathered at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory Monday morning for the chance to hold a special bat used by Babe Ruth, which was unveiled for the first time.

The event was in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Ruth’s signing with Hillerich & Bradsby Co., the Louisville Slugger baseball bat makers. Free Babe Ruth golden mini-bats were handed out to the first 714 guests — a nod to his career home-runs — and one special guest was chosen to hold the bat first.

The bat will be added to the exhibit “Hold a Piece of History,” where visitors are able to hold and touch objects, like bats, used by professional players.

Anne Jewell, vice president and executive director of the Slugger Museum, said the bat was obtained in 2017 after years of looking for a Babe Ruth bat to include in the exhibit. She said the bat is unique because it shows how older bats were made heavier, and it even shows wear and tear from when Ruth used it.

Below are some images from Monday’s event.

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Anne Jewell, vice president and executive director of the Louisville Slugger Museum, presents the Babe Ruth bat to guests. She said the museum wanted to do something special for the 100th anniversary, and once they obtained the bat, they knew putting it in the hands of guests would be a perfect highlight for the day. “We think Babe Ruth would love knowing that 100 years later, he and his bat are still delighting people, especially children,” Jewell said. “His legacy continues through them.” | Photo by Rebekah Alvey