Category: Travel

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World’s Largest Bat at Louisville Slugger Factory

The World’s Biggest Bat! Made of steel, this bat weighs 68,000 pounds and stands 120-feet tall, towering over the 5-story Louisville Slugger building in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. I was there with three friends on our annual minor league baseball trip. One of the highlights of this trip was our visit to the Louisville Slugger Factory and Museum in July, 2014.

World's Largest Bat at the Louisville Slugger Factory and MuseumLouisville Slugger is likely the most well-known brand in all of baseball land. They have been manufacturing bats for 140 (or so) years and supply bats to players on every major league team. The factory tour was fascinating and I had the opportunity to capture some interesting photographs.

The iconic bat at the entrance to the factory and museum is a scale replica of the 34″ bat used by Babe Ruth, himself. However, as good as The Bambino was, I doubt he would be able to swing this bat – that would be more of a feat for the likes of Paul Bunyan. 🙂

To see more of my photography visit BillSwartwoutPhotography. com

 

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Shark Attack in Ocean City Caught on Camera

This shark attack in Ocean City, Maryland, was obviously more man-made than provoked. The corner of the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not building has a huge Great White Shark that appears to have attacked the corner of the structure. It evidently left the waters of the Atlantic Ocean during an extremely high tide and jumped high enough to crash through and become stuck in the walls of the building – with its head lunging high above people on the Ocean City Boardwalk and its tail waving toward the beach.

Ocean City Shark Attack
Shark over the Boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland

Ripley’s large mechanical shark slowly lunges back and forth where everyone can see it. However, I doubt many beach-goers feel threatened by this shark attack because he (she?) has be struggling to free itself of the building for many years, day and night, all year ’round.

Golden Shark in Ocean City
Golden Shark in Ocean City, MD

I imagine that thousands of beach-goers get pictures of this mechanical shark attack every week during the summer season. However, few of those photos are as dramatic as these. I thought I would put mine in the mix and offer them for sale in my online photography gallery at www.BillSwartwoutPhotography.com.

Photo taken with Nikon D3200 and AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm zoom lens.

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American Flag Photography at Fort McHenry

There is no better place to shoot flags (as in “with a camera”) than at the birthplace of the Star Spangled Banner, Fort McHenry, in Baltimore, Maryland. Remember that just a little more than 200 years ago the British were actually shooting at our flag – with big guns (cannons).

When I visit in Baltimore I often go for a walk at Fort McHenry. This particular day had one of those “postcard” skies, with fair-weather cumulus clouds against a bright blue background; so I went to Fort McHenry for a couple hours…with my camera bag, of course. Today I actually got to photograph two American Flags flying over the Fort at the same time and on the same flagpole. Read why below the photograph…

Twin American Flags at Fort McHenry in Baltimore

If you bring an American flag or buy a flag in the Ft. McHenry Gift Shop – a ranger will “run it up” the flagpole, let it fly in the breeze for a short while and then bring it down. You will then be a proud and patriotic owner because you have a flag that actually flew over Fort McHenry. They will even provide a certificate of authenticity for your flag stating that it flew over Fort McHenry. How cool is that?

This image is available, along with more of my photographs, in my online gallery at US Pictures, Bill Swartwout Photography.