bransonglobe.com SPORTS • JORDAN Continued from page 8 Jordan: I was definitely a daddy’s girl growing up. And, you know, he still calls me ‘Princess’ to this day and I’m almost 30. ... He definitely wanted to coddle and protect and nurture and baby me as much as he can. But you also knew the harsh reality of the burden that I was going to have to endure the older I got. So he wanted to make sure I had tough skin. And I understood that, hey, there’s going to be a target on my back. AP: How did your relationship, change after your dad retired? Jordan: When he was playing, he did his best to be as involved as he could be while I was growing up. He made sure to take me to school when he could or go to my recitals and dance and things like that that I was a part of. So once he retired, it definitely was a change in gears, and it was something that he and I really had a conversation about. It’s like, “OK, you’re done. So how do we work on the relationship? How do we even make it stronger than what it was like?” So we definitely really worked hard and put forth that effort because obviously once you take something you love away Bat maker says loan resulted in return of furloughed workers LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The manufacturer of Louisville Slugger bats says it put 171 furloughed employees back on the payroll after receiving a loan from a government program aimed at helping small businesses. Hillerich & Bradsby Co. resumed production at its wood bat factory in Louisville on Monday as parts of Kentucky’s economy reopened after weeks of shutdowns because of the coronavirus outbreak. The bat factory had been idled for nearly two months amid the global pandemic. The company did not disclose the amount of the loan it received under the Paycheck Protection Program. But it said the cash infusion was instrumental in restoring all 171 furloughed employees — or about 90% of its work force — to the payroll last week. “Ending furloughs and putting everyone back on payroll was made possible when H&B received funds from the PPP program,” Hillerich & Bradsby spokesman Rick Redman said in a statement Tuesday. Many of the furloughed employees have returned to work, including several dozen who work in the factory, Redman said. Others are being phased back into various operations, he said. Thirty-eight timber division employees in Pennsylvania also returned to work Monday, according to Redman. The company said it resumed bat production at the Louisville plant with new health and safety protocols that include twice-daily temperature checks and masks for its employees and social distancing standards at work stations and in the break room. Workers started filling orders for some big leaguers. Bat production resumed the same day that Major League Baseball owners approved making a proposal to the players’ union that could lead to the coronavirus-delayed season starting around the Fourth of July weekend in ballparks without fans. An agreement with the players’ association is needed. H&B, a family-owned business, is the wood bat manufacturing partner for Wilson Sporting Goods, which purchased the famed Louisville Slugger brand from H&B in 2015. from somebody, it’s that hole — it’s a void. So do you fill it or do you just adjust? He definitely adjusted versus trying to find something else to fill it, and that’s something I appreciated. That’s how we’re so close today. AP: What type of grandfather has he been to your son? Jordan: He’s Silly Putty. My son has him wrapped around his fingers already. He’s been very hands on and very involved in my son, even during these crazy times. He FaceTimes everyday or Zoom or something just so that way, that relationship can continue to cultivate and bond and grow. But no, my dad would probably let my son get away with murder at this point. … It’s an incredible relationship to see them develop. AP: I’m surprised your dad has been this open, just being a fan. So are you surprised at his candor and his openness? Jordan: Absolutely. It’s definitely surprising because my father is very private. He doesn’t like to comment on social matters or he doesn’t like May 15-16, 2020 • 9 to respond to things when people want him to. He definitely likes to move methodically on his terms and on his time. And then with saying that, seeing the documentary unfold and he’s getting emotional and he’s sharing his insight and perspective, it’s been incredible to really see. And I love it because it gives him that human nature that I think people forget. You know, he is this incredible phenom, and he’s the G.O.A.T., and everything along those lines. But he’s also human.
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