Debate Over Aluminum Bats Continues
Do These Bats Pose a Greater Risk for Catastrophic Injury?
Oct 31, 2009
The debate over “aluminum” versus “wood” bats is a long and arduous one. Is there a difference between how fast a ball comes off the aluminum bat versus a wood bat? The mother of Brandon Patch thinks so and would like to have aluminum bats banned from youth baseball.
Death of Brandon Patch
Brandon Patch (age 18) died in 2003 after being hit in the head with a ball that was hit off of a Louisville Slugger aluminum bat during an American Legion baseball game. Brandon pitched the ball and witnesses say that he did not have time to respond to the ball because the ball was hit so hard (Angela Brandt, Independent Record, October 20, 2009). He was struck in the temple and died in a hospital shortly after the injury.
The family brought a civil suit against the parent company, Hillerich & Bradsby, to draw national attention to the subject and bring people to the table to discuss if aluminum bats create an “unfair advantage and are too dangerous” (Angela Brandt, Independent Record, October 20, 2009).
Crusade to Ban Aluminum Bats in Youth Baseball
Although the trial ended several days ago, the family’s journey didn’t start with a civil suit, but with a crusade in Montana to establish legislation that would outlaw aluminum bats in youth baseball. However, legislation was not passed and only a “resolution” was passed suggesting that kids not use aluminum bats in Montana (Sports by Steve Kallas, October 28, 2009).
Not satisfied with this outcome, the family proceeded to file the civil suit. The outcome of the trial was that the family was awarded $850,000 for the death of their son (Los Angeles Times, October 29,2009).
The family’s attorney successfully argued that Patch’s death was “caused by the defective and unreasonably dangerous product because the bat was designed and manufactured to allow the ball to be hit with such significant force as to endanger the safety of those playing the game” (Montana News Station, October 30, 2009).
This ruling will not only bring this subject to the forefront for discussion, but will most likely open the floodgates for additional civil suits from families whose children have been catastrophically injured by being hit by balls hit off of aluminum bats in either youth baseball or softball.
The baseball bat industry will most likely respond by placing warning labels on all of their aluminum bat products stating that individuals who use the product may be at risk for catastrophic injury or death just like the labels that are currently used on football helmets (Sports Injury Management, 3rd edition, 2009). The football warning labels also include the words “Use this helmet at your own risk”.
Pitching Mechanics Play a Role
It is important to note that balls hit off of wood bats can also result in catastrophic injuries to pitchers (Giants’ reliever, Joe Martinez, April, 2009; Dodgers’ pitcher, Hiroki Kuroda, August 2009). Because of the nature of the pitching motion, the pitcher’s back is turned to the plate after release. This follow-through does not allow pitchers to be able to defend themselves from balls that quickly come off the bats.
Even with softball pitchers being able to defend themselves because they are facing the plate after delivery, softball pitchers still receive catastrophic injuries to the head and face because the distance to the plate is so much shorter.
More research needs to be undertaken in biomechanics and sport science laboratories to better understand the velocity of the ball traveling off of an aluminum bat versus a wood bat and the type of damage that can occur at specified distances from the plate. If there is a noticeable difference, maybe it is time to restrict the use of aluminum bats in youth sports.
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