Friday, May 23, 2008
Baseball Bat's Maker Sued
The family of a boy who suffered brain damage after he was struck by a line drive off an aluminum baseball bat has sued the bat's maker and others. They say the bat makers should have known it was dangerous. Steven Domalewski was 12 when he was struck in 2006. His family filed the lawsuit in state Superior Court. It names Hillerich & Bradsby Co., maker of the 31 inch, 19 ounce Louisville Slugger TPX Platinum bat.
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Mike May, here, with the Don’t Take My Bat Away coalition. Don't Take My Bat Away is supported by players, coaches, fans, parents, bat makers, and associations such as the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, USA Baseball, Little League Baseball, and PONY Baseball, among others. It is a group that supports "bat of choice" when it comes to selecting the type of bat one uses in a Little League, recreational, high school, American Legion, or college baseball game.
The Don’t Take My Bat Away Coalition appreciates your interest in this baseball story. Needless to say, we take exception to the implication about any safety issue of wood vs. non-wood bats. The implication that using today's non-wood/metal bat presents a safety issue has no validity. The following third-party research below supports that conclusion:
1) Since 2003, metal bats used in high schools and colleges have been scientifically regulated so that the speed of the batted balls off metal bats is comparable to that of the best major league wood bat. This standard -- known as BESR -- has been adopted by the NCAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations.
2.) Bats used at the Little League level are governed by the BPF Standard which dictates that the rebound effect of the batted ball off non-wood bats cannot exceed the rebound effect of the batted ball off a wood bat. These standards (both BESR and BPF) are presented to bat makers which they must follow.
3.) A 2007 study on the "Non-Wood vs. Wood Bats" by Illinois State University concluded that "there was no statistically significant evidence that non-wood bats result in an increased incidence of severity of injury."
4.) In 2002 (before the current standards were implemented), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) stated "Available incident data are not sufficient to indicate that non-wood bats may pose an unreasonable risk of injury." (April 5, 2002) Obviously, since then, new regulations have been put in place to reduce the performance ability of bats even more.
One other point to consider: In the 2006 College World Series (where a metal bat by today's standards was used), the batting average in all games was .277, the average number of home runs per game was 0.82, and the average number of runs per game per team was 5.2. In the 2006 American League season (where a wood bat was used), the batting average in all games was .275, the average number of home runs per game was 1.12, and the average number of runs per game per team was 5.2. As you can see, it's virtually identical -- with different types of bats.
Please visit www.DTMBA.com for more information on this "wood vs. non-wood" bat topic.
Sincerely,
Mike May
Don't Take My Bat Away
6650 West Indiantown Road
Suite #220
Jupiter, FL 33458
p: 561.427.0657
c: 561.317.6111
mmay@sgma.com
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