With a strike of the gavel, the sporting goods market in New York City
took on a very different aspect last week as a federal court judge
upheld the citys ban on non-wood and non-wood composite bats in high
school games, meaning the ban will take effect as scheduled on
September 1st. The Judge based his decision on the fact that the
New York City Council has every right to pass legislation; however, the
Judge also noted that there was no “empirical evidence showing that
more serious injuries would occur without the ordinance.”
Though the decision handed down answers the question of whether or not
the ban will take effect, it raises other questions that those affected
have little desire to answer. In a classic move of the oppressed,
Wally Stampfel, the chairman of the Catholic High School Athletics
Association in New York, and coach of the varsity baseball team at Mt.
St. Michaels high school, refused to give the Council any aid or
direction in their quest to make baseball safer. Following the
Judges decision, Stampfel sent a letter to the Council asking
questions along the lines of who enforces this rule, what is the
punishment for offenders, and even which bats are legal. The last
question in the list poses an interesting issue since the law itself
says that students playing in high school games in the city must use
bats “approved by Major League Baseball.”
The State Island Advance spoke with Staten Island Councilman Doug Oddo,
who sponsored the measure, saying he “scoffed at the concern and
insisted the Council would quickly obtain and disseminate a list from
Major League Baseball and iron out enforcement and penalties before the
bill takes effect.”
An MLB spokesperson told Sports Executive Weekly that the League had
yet to be contacted by anyone from the NYC City Council requesting a
list of approved bats nor had a decision been made as to whether or not
the League would provide such a list if asked.
As for continuing the fight, Trent Duffy, spokesperson for Dont Take
My Bat Away, the group that had spearheaded the legal initiative
against the new law, told SEW that the group is considering all options
before moving ahead and that an appeal was still on the table, though
DTMBA had yet to decide whether it would take that route or not.
