Anne Jewell started her baseball education growing up with three brothers in Toledo—where her parents, who are Chicago natives, were big sports fans. She remembers riding the “L” past Wrigley Field as a kid during visits with grandma, and she had a big crush on Bucky Dent, owner of two World Series rings from his time playing shortstop for the Yankees. She also remembers The Big Red Machine—the Cincinnati team that ruled baseball in the ’70s. But these days, her baseball loyalty lies in Louisville, Ky.
As the executive director of the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, Jewell watches over some of the crown jewels of the sport. A bat used by Babe Ruth during the 1927 season, a bat used by Joe DiMaggio during his 56-game hitting streak, and a fully functioning factory that creates Louisville Sluggers are all part of the collection.
Jewell thought her career-based visit to Louisville would last a couple of years. She came to town as a general assignment reporter for the ABC affiliate station—with plans to move up later to a bigger media market. But that step started a love affair with Louisville that has lasted 20 years. “I found the news business was becoming more ‘filler’ and less of what I got in it to do,” Jewell says. She made the jump to public relations and marketing at The Belle of Louisville (a historic steamboat) before Louisville Slugger approached her with an opportunity. “I came to the Kentucky Derby when I was a student at Denison,” Jewell says. “It seemed like a neat place, but I never thought I would call it home.”
Jewell, who was a member of the volleyball squad at Denison, has cherished the opportunity to introduce kids, parents, and grandparents to the stories of major league hitters who are always trying to get back home to put another run on the board. Jewell’s educational efforts have included writing a couple of books: Baseball in Louisville and a children’s book, The Big Bat. Jewell reaches out to private collectors or attempts to purchase baseball items at auctions to help bolster the museum’s collections. She managed to get her hands on a portrait of Cincinnati slugger Joey Votto made from 5,060 Lego pieces. And a personal flask set belonging to Red Sox icon Ted Williams is also on display. During the 14 years that Jewell has been at the facility, attendance has increased from 190,000 to more than 300,000 guests annually.
In addition to enjoying the collections in the museum, visitors occasionally see the game come to life when players such as Derek Jeter, David Wright, Josh Hamilton, and Hanley Ramirez visit. Jewell’s magic moment came when singer and actress Julie Andrews was in town. Turns out, Andrews’ grandson is a big Yankees fan. So Jewell took a couple of bats to Andrews in her theatre dressing room. In return, the Sound of Music star signed a bat for the museum’s collection. “Our brand is so well known around the world,” says Jewell. “It definitely branches out beyond the baseball world.”