June 12, 2007
DON’T TAKE MY BAT AWAY
We need your help!
Recently the New York City Council voted to ban the use of aluminum bats for all high school ballplayers. Now the New Jersey Legislature is considering doing the same thing, but worse! The Jersey ban would forbid the use of aluminum bats for everyone who plays baseball – from youth baseball to high school ball. They even considered banning aluminum bats from softball.
When they realized what a bad idea that was, they dropped softball but still want to ban aluminum for all baseball games in the state.
This is an unfair assault on parents’, coaches’ and players’ rights to make choices on which sports equipment they like best.
A broad coalition of baseball organizations including Babe Ruth League, Inc. have officially launched the “DON’T TAKE MY BAT AWAY” coalition, a grassroots campaign to protect a player’s right to pick the bat they like best, wood or aluminum.
The coalition includes many baseball organizations such as:
National High School Baseball Coaches Association
USA Baseball
Little League
Babe Ruth League
PONY Baseball
The New York City Council cited safety as their only reason for banning aluminum bats. But wood bats break, shatter and splinter, which introduces other risks to the game and boosts costs for parents and leagues.
A study by the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research showed that in the past twenty years, a catastrophic injury to a pitcher occurred only once for every million high school aged participants. Independent governmental groups like the Consumer Product Safety Commission said aluminum bats are as safe as wood bats.
Bottom Line: Today’s metal bats are regulated to hit like wood, and both bat types are safe.
We believe Babe Ruth League, Little League and Pony Baseball should decide based on their knowledge and the various studies they’ve reviewed.
The Don’t Take My Bat Away coalition in New Jersey is launching a grassroots effort now to help parents, coaches and players who support letting players use the bat they like best, wood or aluminum.
A new website,
www.DTMBA.com will serve as the online nerve center for this campaign, providing all the scientific evidence regarding the safety of aluminum bats, keeping you informed on the campaign’s progress, and providing newcomers with the means to make their own voices heard.
Here is one easy thing you can do TODAY to help: Sign the Online Petition Today!
Visit the website:
www.DTMBA.com and make your voice heard by signing the online petition. It is critically important to sign-up to support safety and player choice when it comes to using aluminum bats. Thank you for doing your part for this coalition effort.
Sincerely,
Steven Tellefsen
President/CEO
Babe Ruth League, Inc.
P.S. Don’t let the New York City ban of aluminum bats spread to New Jersey! Join this growing coalition by signing the online petition today.