Ryan Braun, SAM BAT, and Good Sports team up to launch the RB8 Bat & "10,000 Swings" Initiative

Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers and The Original Maple Bat Corporation (“Sam Bat”) are pleased to announce today the launch of the “RB8,” a new Sam Bat professional-quality maple baseball bat model. The bat, designed by Braun, will feature his new RB8 logo. The logo features Braun’s initials and the number 8 in honor of the number he wears for the Brewers. Braun has been using Sam Bats for his entire professional career. Sam Bat was the first to use maple to create a major league sanctioned bat in 1997. Now, over 60% of all Major League players use maple bats. The design of the new RB8 provides the right balance for comfort and power. The launch of the RB8 is an extension of Braun’s association with the quality products that Sam Bat provides and his affinity for designing products that he uses and loves. The launch of the RB8 bat also provides Braun and Sam Bat with an outlet to help give back to the community. Sam Holman, Founder of Sam Bat and Arlene Anderson, President of Sam Bat are pleased to announce today their support of the Good Sports organization, a non-profit organization that strives to increase the physical activity of disadvantaged youth helping to lay the foundation for healthy active lifestyles. Good Sports has launched an initiative to help reenergize youth baseball by putting 10,000 brand new baseball bats into the hands of disadvantaged youth who need it most. Leading off this initiative are founding partners Sam Bat and Ryan Braun. “I am thrilled to launch this product, the RB8 bat and in turn help children all across the country. Playing sports has helped me my entire life and every child should have the same opportunity to play the sport they love,” says Braun. Through its unique program that is focused on high poverty communities, Good Sports promotes sports and fitness participation among disadvantaged youth because it believes that access to physical activity is critical to the healthy social, physical and emotional development of children. Together with Ryan Braun, Sam Bat today is donating 150 bats to launch the “10,000 Swings” initiative to ensure that baseball remains America’s pastime. Sam Bat has committed to support this program throughout the remainder of the 2009 baseball season by donating an additional 10 bats for every home run Ryan Braun hits. “Baseball is the great American game and we want to give back and to help those who are helping kids play the game,” says Sam Holman of Sam Bat. About Ryan Braun - Ryan Braun is the Left Fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team. Braun was drafted by the Brewers in the first round of the 2005 Amateur Draft and made his Major League debut on May 25, 2007. He was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 2007 and in 2008 was named the National League starting left fielder for the All-Star Game. He was asked to participate in the Home Run Derby and around the same time signed an 8-year contract keeping him in Milwaukee. Off the field, Braun has been an ambassador for Habitat for Humanity in the greater California and Milwaukee areas. He has recently launched a clothing line, Remetee, available at retailers nationwide. About SAM BAT -The Original Maple Bat Corporation. Based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, founder, Sam Holman, was the first to use maple to create a major league sanctioned bat in 1997.Our mission is to craft the highest quality wood baseball bats available anywhere. Our wood bats are treated with care and undergo heavy scrutiny for any flaws at each and every stage of production, from the cutting of the logs to the drying in our kilns. The result is a superb instrument that transfers more of your power to the ball. SAM BATs also boast a larger “sweet spot” for hitting. Major League Sanctioned and Little League® Approved. Loved by MLB players and Pros around the world. About Good Sports - Good Sports is a non-profit organization that strives to increase the physical activity of disadvantaged youth helping to lay the foundation for healthy active lifestyles. Through its unique program that is focused on high poverty communities, Good Sports promotes sports and fitness participation among disadvantaged youth because it believes that access to physical activity is critical to the healthy social, physical and emotional development of children. Due to generous partners in the sporting goods industry, Good Sports has impacted over 180,000 kids and distributed more than $3.8 million worth of equipment to youth sports and fitness programs since 2003.