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'''Marucci Bat Company''' is an [[American]] manufacturer of [[baseball bats]] based in [[Baton Rouge, LA]]. It was founded in 2002 by the [[Louisiana State University]] athletic training director Jack Marucci[http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=174095&SPID=2178&SPSID=31741]. The company also is co-owned by former major league baseball players [[Kurt Ainsworth]] and Joe Lawrence.
'''Kent Island''' is the largest [[island]] in the [[Chesapeake Bay]], and is separated from the eastern shore of the bay by the Kent Narrows, and from Sandy Point on the western side of the bay by roughly four [[mile|miles]] of water. At only four miles wide, the main waterway of the bay is at its narrowest at this point. The island is part of [[Queen Anne's County, Maryland]], and is the oldest [[England|English]] settlement within the present day state of [[Maryland]].
The bats are used by [[baseball]] superstars [[Carlos Beltrán]], [[José Reyes]], [[David Wright]], [[Gary Sheffield]], [[Manny Ramirez]], [[Todd Helton]] and [[Albert Pujols]][http://www.rustonleader.com/news.php?id=1538].
==History==
During the 16th and 17th centuries, early explorers, including [[John Smith of Jamestown|Captian John Smith]], were the first [[Europe|Europeans]] to see Kent Island, however, it wasn't until [[1631]] when the first establishment on Kent Island was founded. William Claiborne, <!-- apparently Wikipedia has an article for the other William Claiborne, but not this one --> a friend of John Smith's, founded a trading post on the island for the purpose of trading with [[Native Americans]]. Following the formation of the [[Province of Maryland]], Claiborne continued to recognize the island as part of his home colony of [[Virginia Colony|Virginia]] while [[Cecil Calvert]] ([[aka (initialism)|aka]] Lord Baltimore) recognized it as part of Maryland. The disputes ended in 1657 when Claiborne left the island permanently, and it was made part of Maryland.
==External Links and Sourceslinks== ▼Until the 19th century, Kent Island was used almost entirely for farming. Around the time of the [[Industrial Revolution]], the town of [[Stevensville, Maryland|Stevensville]] developed after the sale of farms owned by James and Charles Stevens, and prospered as a major hub for steamboat travel across the Chesapeake Bay. Also during this time, small resorts on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and the [[Atlantic Ocean]] became common in the area. Such a resort existed at Love Point, north of Stevensville. Love Point was also the home of a railroad station that marked the western end of the Love Point Railroad, which carried [[ferry]] passengers to other parts of the Eastern Shore.
[http://www.maruccibats.com/pages/01_Home.html Company Website]</br>
[http://media.www.lsureveille.com/media/storage/paper868/news/2006/03/27/CampusLife/Bat-Man-2055334.shtml LSU article about Marucci Bat Company]</br>
[http://wm.lpb.org/swi/20060714MarucciBat_medium.mp3 Podcast from Louisiana Public Broadcasting]about Marucci Bat Company
[[Category: Maryland geographyBaseball]] ▼As roads replaced railroads and steamboats into the 20th century, there was a growing need for a road bridge connecting the two shores of the Chespeake Bay. In 1952 the [[Chesapeake Bay Bridge]] was built, connecting the island directly to the [[Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area]]. The bridge completely replaced the steamboat system and also led to further growth of Kent Island and the rest of the Eastern Shore. In 1973, In order to accomodate growing traffic across the bay the bridge was expanded with an additional span next to the existing one. Then, in the late 1980's and early 1990's [[U.S. Highway 50|US 50]] was converted to a [[freeway]] across the island.
[[Category: IslandsSporting goods manufacturers of the United States]] ▼
In 2003, Kent Island was one of the many places in the Chesapeake Bay Area affected by [[Hurricane Isabel]]. Local buisinesses and historic local landmarks were either damaged or destroyed in the storm and the [[storm surge]] associated with it. Many of the damages from the hurricane, mostly caused by flooding, took several months to repair.
Today, Kent Island is a [[suburban]] area and home to over 8,000 residents (as of the 2000 census). Many of the island's historical places are still preserved. Both the [[Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway]] and the [[American Discovery Trail]] pass through the island and run by some of these historic places, including Downtown Stevensville and the Love Point Railroad Station.
==Transportation==
===Roads===
The main mode of transportation on Kent Island, as with most other [[suburban]] areas of the United States, is by car. Kent Island's main roads include [[U.S. Highway 50|US 50]]/[[U.S. Highway 301|US 301]] and Maryland State Highways [[Maryland State Highway 8|8]] and [[Maryland State Highway 18|18]]. These roads along with other main roads connect the island's many small communities.
===Cross Island Trail===
The original section of the '''Cross Island Trail''', a walking and biking [[trail]] on Kent Island, was built in the late [[1990s]], and as of 2005 the trail has been under almost constant construction, being lengthened to connect all of Kent Island's recreational areas. The current section of the trail, from the Kent Narrows to Terrapin Park is part of the [[American Discovery Trail]].
The path of the trail is as follows:
*When the trail is completed it will start at Romancoke Pier and will run up a section that is currently under construction, paralleling Maryland State Highway 8 and ending at Matapeake Elementary School.
*There are plans to eventually have the trail connect to the western end of the existing trail in Terrapin Park. However, the exact path of this section is currently undecided. Among the options, is a plan that will take the trail through historic [[Stevensville, Maryland|Stevensville]].
*The first section of the existing trail runs from Terrapin Park, through the grounds of Kent Island High School and Old Love Point Park where it meets up with the original section.
*The original section follows an old railroad bed from Old Love Point Park to Castle Marina Road.
*The rest of the existing trail parallels US 50/301 and ends at the Chesapeake Exploration Center at the [[Kent Narrows, Maryland|Kent Narrows]].
*Future plans will have an extension of the trail built to [[Centreville, Maryland|Centreville]], and the entire trail will connect all of the parks in Queen Anne's County.
===Connections to the Mainland===
The [[bridge|bridges]] that currently connect Kent Island to the mainland are as follows:
*The '''[[Chesapeake Bay Bridge]]''' spans the Chesapeake Bay and carries US 50/301 to [[Annapolis, Maryland|Annapolis]].
*The '''Kent Narrows Bridge''' spans the Kent Narrows and carries US 50/301 to the [[Delmarva Peninsula]].
*The '''Old Kent Narrows Bridge''', '''Kent Narrows Drawbridge''', or '''Route 18 Kent Narrows Bridge''' is a [[drawbridge]] that carries MD 18 into [[Grasonville, Maryland|Grasonville]], it was the predecessor to the current Kent Narrows Bridge and now serves local traffic.
Prior to the construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, [[ferry]] services connected the island directly to [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]], [[Annapolis, Maryland|Annapolis]], and the [[peninsula]] on which [[St. Michaels, Maryland|St. Michaels]] is located, however they were made obsolete when the bridge was opened. Some of the piers that were used as part of the ferry service still exist as fishing piers.
▲[[Category:Maryland geography]]
▲[[Category:Islands of the United States]]
==See Also==
*[[List of islands in the United States]]
*Places on Kent Island:
**[[Stevensville, Maryland]]
**[[Chester, Maryland]]
**[[Kent Narrows, Maryland]] (partially on Kent Island)
▲==External Links and Sources==
*[http://www.kentisland.org Unofficial Kent Island Website]
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