[Skahtboi]

Here is the statement released from H&B:

HILLERICH & BRADSBY CO. STATEMENT REGARDING MONTANA VERDICT IN ALUMINUM BAT CASE

This was an emotional case and we believe the jury responded to that and issued an emotional verdict.

Our company did nothing wrong. We made a bat in accordance with the rules. That bat was approved for play by baseball’s organizing and governing organizations. In fact, the jury found in our favor, that the bat was not defective.

However, the verdict that our company “failed to adequately warn of the dangers of the bat” has left us puzzled. It seems contradictory for the jury to say the bat is not defective but our company failed to warn that it could be dangerous. It appears to be an indictment of the entire sport of baseball. Anyone who has ever played the game, or any sport for that matter, understands there are risks inherent in baseball and the object is to use a bat, whether wood or aluminum, to hit the ball hard. Unfortunately, this verdict seems to be a statement on the society we live in today, that everything must have a warning label.

We sympathize with the Patch family over their loss, as we have since we first learned of this terrible accident. But we still believe this was an accident on a baseball field. Perhaps this will give the Patch family some closure. We hope that it does.



Rick Redman

VP Corporate Communications