Louisville Slugger has recalled the entire line of its OneX fastpitch softball bats from the market due to a manufacturing flaw. Hillerich & Bradsby Co., the parent company of the Louisville Slugger brand, warns that the barrel of the bat can break, causing a potential safety hazard.
Model numbers affected by the recall are the FP136, FP1369 and FP1368. Louisville Slugger oneX appears twice on the barrel, in yellow in one place and in blue lettering on the other side. The X is yellow in both places. The bats were manufactured in China and had been sold nationwide at sporting good and other retail stores from approximately May 2012 through February 2013 for about $350. About 13,000 units are affected by the recall.
Approximately 170 bat handle separations have been reported.
“We have become aware of a manufacturing issue that has compromised the durability of the OneX bat which potentially shows up in the form of cracking between barrel and handle,” said Louisville Slugger in a release. “In extreme cases, the manufacturing defect has resulted in a complete fracture between the handle and barrel.”
Effective immediately, the bats are no longer approved for play in any level of the Little League Softball program, while both the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) have taken similar action at the request of Louisville Slugger.
Louisiville Slugger will be providing customers who purchased a recalled bat with a 2013 Xeno bat as a replacement, as well as offering the additional choice of one of three options: a glove or bag with an $80 retail value; a $50 stored value gift card; or a 2014 OneX or equivalent bat to ship in August.
A voluntary recall return authorization form is available on Louisville Slugger’s website.
