Mandating Wooden Bats Solves Nothing
May 28, 2007

By F. Dale Lolley

Copyright 2007, Washington (PA) Observer-Reporter

Leave it to our legislature to stick its nose into areas it obviously knows little about.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, freshman State Rep. Mike Carroll (D-Luzerne) wants to ban aluminum bats in organized baseball and softball from the high school level down.

Under Carroll's legislation, which he plans to introduce within the next week, anyone younger than 18 would be banned from using non-wooden bats in organized baseball and softball. Those who used metal bats could face fines of $25 and leagues that allowed them could see $50 fines.

Note the word "organized" there.

You want to play a pickup game and use an aluminum bat, have at it. But in an organized game - which should be considered inherently safer than a pickup game since there is adult supervision and therefore someone concerned about the player's welfare - children would be forbidden from using aluminum.

Makes a lot of sense, huh?

Carroll's reason for such a move? Despite data to the contrary, he believes aluminum bats are more dangerous than wooden ones.

The facts, however, don't back Carroll's view.

USA Baseball, the National Governing Body for the sport of baseball as designated by the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, released a statement this spring saying the National Consumer Product Safety Commission studied this issue and concluded in 2002 that there is no evidence to suggest that aluminum bats pose any greater risk than wood bats.

In fact, if you really look at the numbers, they would say just the opposite.

According to a research project conducted by Dr. Frederick Mueller, Director of the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research, two out of the three deaths from a batted ball in the last decade came from wood bats.

One wouldn't think that would be the case, but since 2003, all bats are required to meet "Ball Exit Speed Ratio" (BESR) performance limitation, which ensures that aluminum bats do not hit the ball any harder than the best wood bats.

Prior to that, aluminum bats were more dangerous. Manufacturers continually worked to create a better bat, one capable of hitting the ball faster and harder than the last model.

But those days are behind us. Now, the biggest difference between aluminum and wooden bats is durability and the size of the sweet spot on the barrel.

Of course, somebody forgot to tell lawmakers.

The New Jersey Assembly is currently considering a ban of non-wood bats, while New York City recently enacted a ban, but the law is being challenged in federal court. Two years ago, North Dakota banned metal bats at the high school level.

At least a ban for high school and above makes some sense considering all the kids have reached maturity and the schools can purchase a proper allotment of bats.

While some may spend $300 for the latest aluminum bat, most people don't. Most purchase an aluminum bat for $100 or less and use it for a couple of years.

Considering a cheap wooden bat now costs in the neighborhood of $30, breaking a couple during the course of a season will actually cost more in the long run.

Carroll claims his legislation is strictly a safety move, though.

What's next, banning spikes because somebody might get stepped on? How about banning metal skates in hockey. After all, they can cause a nasty cut.

There is some danger of injury involved with playing any sport. People can and do get injured. It's an unfortunate fact.

But legislation such as this is just plain silly - consistent with the nanny state of government we unfortunately live in. The general public isn't smart enough to look out for itself and therefore needs big brother to do so for us.

The bottom line is that some kids hit the ball harder than others, regardless of what kind of bat they are swinging. It comes back to the old mantra that it's the Indian and not the arrow that makes the shot.

What's next? Banning all kids who are bigger than everybody else? They are, after all, the ones who hit the ball harder.

Let's hope that there is still somebody with some sense left in Harrisburg if this legislation comes up for a vote.


F. Dale Lolley can be reached at dlolley@observer-reporter.com