NYC Bans Use of Metal Bats

The use of metal bats in high school baseball will be banned in the nation's largest school system starting in September after the New York City Council overrode a mayoral veto of the bill.

The measure outlaws metal bats under the theory that they produce harder and faster hits, risking injury to young players who have less time to react. Opponents of the bill, including Little League Baseball and sporting goods manufacturers, say there is no evidence metal bats are more dangerous.

Youth leagues and lawmakers are proposing similar bans in other areas, including New Jersey, where a 12-year-old boy went into cardiac arrest and suffered serious injuries last year after a batted ball struck him in the chest.

In New York, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (R) vetoed the bat ban earlier this month, saying the issue should be left to those who run the youth leagues. But the city council overwhelmingly knocked down the veto by a vote of 41-4.

Opponents argue that there is no scientific evidence proving metal bats pose a greater danger than wooden bats and that the anti-metal movement relies on emotional anecdotes over concrete data. Some have said they plan to challenge the matter in court.

-- From News Services