Batting Tee Game

CPSC Recall #92-052 — February 5, 1992

Recall Summary

Recall Number92-052
Recall DateFebruary 5, 1992
Remedy TypeReplace
Units AffectedApproximately 16,000

Product

Batting Tee Game

Description

WASHINGTON, DC -- Rawlings Sporting Goods Company of St. Louis, MO in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is voluntarily recalling a children's sports toy called the "Batting Tee." The Batting Tee is a practice batting stand marketed for children and has a tethered ball anchored to the ground by a metal stake. The stake may pull out of the ground and strike the head or body of the players. These types of staked balls used as part of batting tee games for children have been involved in three injuries reported to CPSC by consumers. One incident involved a child who suffered a skull fracture from the metal stake of an earlier recalled batting tee, not a Rawlings tee. Approximately 16,000 Rawlings batting tee games, Model number TBK-2, have been sold by retail stores nationwide from 1987 to the present. Consumers can identify the toys by the Rawlings name imprinted in red on the white plastic home plate stand included in the game. Rawlings asks consumers to stop using the batting tee and return the metal-staked ball, cord, and tee to the retailer where purchased for a free, redesigned batting tee game. If consumers have questions about the recall, they may call Rawlings Sporting Goods at 1-800-367-3455. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is announcing this recall as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The Commission's objective is to reduce the estimated 28.5 million injuries and 21,600 deaths associated each year with the 15,000 different types of consumer products under CPSC's jurisdiction.

Hazard

The stake may pull out of the ground and strike the head or body of the players.

Incidents & Injuries

These types of staked balls used as part of batting tee games for children have been involved in three injuries reported to CPSC by consumers. One incident involved a child who suffered a skull fracture from the metal stake of an earlier recalled batting tee, not a Rawlings tee.

Remedy Instructions

Rawlings asks consumers to stop using the batting tee and return the metal-staked ball, cord, and tee to the retailer where purchased for a free, redesigned batting tee game.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Replace) at no cost to you.

Yes. If you were injured by a defective consumer product — whether recalled or not — you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer and potentially the retailer. A recall notice can serve as evidence that the manufacturer was aware of the defect. Injuries that may support a claim include burns, lacerations, fractures, electric shock, choking incidents, and chemical exposure. Most product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Consult an attorney promptly, as statutes of limitation vary by state.

In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.

If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.