Dear Virginia Little League Volunteer:
I am writing you today due to a very serious situation involving Little League Baseball in Virginia.
In case you haven’t heard, the New York City Council voted to ban the use of aluminum bats for all high school games played in the City. Now, similar legislation could find its way to Virginia – legislation that would ban all non-wood bats from being used in all Little League games throughout the state.
At Little League, nothing is more important to us than child safety and I can report to you that a ban on aluminum bats is not necessary. It will harm our game and make it less enjoyable for the millions of children who safely play the game today, just as it has been safely played for the last forty years. In addition to the higher costs, we know that wood bats break, shatter and splinter, which introduces other risks to the game.
Little League Baseball has joined a coalition of parents, coaches and bat makers to oppose this unnecessary ban.
The Coalition is named “Don’t Take My Bat Away” and I urge you to join.
Please log onto their website, www.DTMBA.com, and carefully review the facts and the science behind Little League’s decision to support the safe use of both wood and aluminum bats.
I’m proud that Little League has led the way in developing batting helmets, the modern catcher’s chest protector, helmet and mask. We banned head first sliding for safety reasons and we also abolished the on-deck circle ten years ago. Just this year, we implemented a pitch count to protect our players’ young arms.
If there was a safety-driven reason to ban aluminum bats, we would support it. There isn’t and that’s why I urge you to get involved.
Please log onto www.DTMBA.com and join our growing coalition.
Sincerely,
Steve Keener
P.S. There is a very real chance we could see a bat ban bill in Virginia soon. Please consider logging onto the Don’t Take My Bat Away Coalition’s webpage (DTMBA.com) and join Little League, Babe Ruth Baseball, PONY League, American Softball Association, American Legion Baseball, American Baseball Coaches Association, National Council of Youth Sports, the National High School Baseball Coaches Association, and many other groups that have studied this issue - so we can work together to fight a potential ban.
Little League International
P.O. Box 3485
539 US Route 15 Hwy
Williamsport, PA 17701-0485
