Think sports and Kentucky, and the first image that comes to mind might be a thoroughbred horse showcasing its majestic speed as it gallops along a racetrack. And while horses and Kentucky do go together, when it comes to sports, the Bluegrass State is in a league of its own.
Say Kentucky and baseball fans may instantly think of the Louisville Slugger, the most-popular bat brand in history that shares its name with the state’s largest city. Or, that Louisville is also home to the Muhammad Ali Center, which continues the famous boxer’s social justice legacy. And true muscle-car fanatics will know that Kentucky’s southern city of Bowling Green houses an impressive collection of Corvettes.
Here is a look at why Kentucky is the place where sports legends will come alive on your next visit.
Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory
Located in Louisville’s Museum Row — a collection of notable institutions all within a few walkable blocks of each other — the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is a must-visit for baseball fans. The iconic Louisville Slugger baseball bats have been a staple of the sport for more than a century, and the museum chronicles the extraordinary role they have played in baseball’s past and present.
Along with its galleries full of one-of-a-kind artifacts and displays, like items used by the legendary Babe Ruth (you can even hold one of his bats), you can go on a factory tour to see how its bats are made, or venture into the Bat Vault to see more than 3,000 originals that were used by baseball’s biggest stars.
Visitors can also opt for the All-Star Experience, a private, behind-the-scenes opportunity, crafted to showcase your favourite teams and players, and where you can see special items pulled from the museum’s archives.
Muhammad Ali Center
Photo: Lee P ThomasMuhammad Ali Center
Also in Louisville, the Muhammad Ali Center is dedicated to continuing the famous boxer’s legacy of creating change, pursuing justice and inspiring greatness.
The centre is home to the Muhammad Ali Museum where you can explore artifacts, imagery and interactive displays that chronicle his life — from his Louisville childhood to his world heavyweight titles, Olympic appearances, opposition to the Vietnam War and his humanitarian work.
It also houses The Muhammad Ali Center for Humanity and Justice, which builds on the famed boxer’s social justice work, including a youth leadership development program to inspire the next generation of changemakers.
While in Louisville, be sure to visit some of the other sites related to Ali. They include his childhood home where he lived from the 1940s through the early 1960s at 3302 Grand Ave., the Columbia Gym on 4th Street where he first learned to box, and his grave at Cave Hill Cemetery — a green line painted on the ground will lead you from the entrance to his final resting place.
National Corvette Museum
Photo: Clay CookNational Corvette Museum
Showcasing everything related to the Chevrolet Corvette, which has been in production since 1953, the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green is sure to get any fans of this American sports car revved up.
During a visit to the museum, you will see temporary and permanent exhibits exploring the history of the car and how it helped shape American culture. They include the Nostalgia Gallery that takes visitors through the iconic eras of Corvette history and The E. Pierce Marshall Memorial Performance Gallery showcasing the cutting-edge advancements and innovations that made it one of the world’s best sports cars.
You can also learn about the museum’s infamous 2014 sinkhole incident. In the early hours of the morning on Feb. 12, a sinkhole opened underneath the museum’s Skydome, causing the floor of the space to collapse and swallowing some Corvettes in the process. A special gallery recounts what happened, how the cars were recovered and how the sinkhole was fixed.
If you want to get behind the wheel, the has a tiered driving school where you can test drive Corvettes and Camaros on the Motorsports Park’s iconic road course. Various packages are available that allow you to drive your dream car.
 Whether you are a casual sports fan, or fanatic follower of every baseball inning, boxing bout or car race, Kentucky has an amazing experience waiting for you to enjoy on your next visit.
And, getting there has never been easier, with Air Canada currently offering convenient twice daily direct service from pc28¹ÙÍøPearson International Airport to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
To learn more about Kentucky’s sports-related experiences, visit .
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