Aluminum Baseball Bats

CPSC Recall #76-024 - April 12, 1976

Recall Summary

Recall Number76-024
Recall DateApril 12, 1976
Remedy TypeNo Remedy Available

Product

Aluminum Baseball Bats

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 13) -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced today approval of a settlement agreement between the Commission's Bureau of Compliance and respondents in the Aluminum Baseball Bats Enforcement Proceeding, CPSC Docket Nos. 75-9, 75-10, 75-11, 75-12, 75-13, and 75-14. The agreement will dispose of enforcement proceedings commenced in November, 1975 against Hillerich & Bradsby Co., Wilson Sporting Goods Co., a division of Pepsico, Inc., Lannon Manufacturing Co., Reynolds Metals Company, Alcoa Sport Products Company, a subsidiary of Alcoa, and Eaton Corporation, manufacturers and distributors of aluminum bats and rubber grip components of the bats. The enforcement proceedings were brought because the Commission staff was of the opinion that an undetermined number of aluminum bats could present a substantial product hazard within the meaning of the Consumer Product Safety Act. The staff charged that the one piece rubber grips and knob could deteriorate and separate from the handle of the bat, causing the bat to be propelled during a swinging motion and having the potential for striking a person in near proximity to the batter. The agreement is entered into for settlement purposes only, and the agreement and the order, notices and news releases agreed upon and to be issued pursuant thereto do not constitute an admission by respondents or a finding by the Commission that the Act or any other law has been violated or that respondents have failed properly to perform or carry out any duty or obligation or that the products which are the subject of the captioned proceedings contain a defect, fail to comply with any consumer product safety rule, create a risk of injury or present or constitute a "substantial product hazard" within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act. The respondents in the subject enforcement proceedings have agreed to a program notifying consumers of the possible risk alleged in the Notices of Enforcement in the proceedings and of the opportunity to receive, free of charge, an update kit with which to affix mechanically a new knob to the bat. Prior to this agreement Jas. D. Easton Inc. had agreed upon a similar program with the Commission. These bats have been sold under the following trade names: "H&B/ Louisville Slugger", "Reynolds", "AJD", "Easton", "Adirondack", "Worth", "Sears", "Sunsmacker", "Wilson", and "Rawlings". Consumers who believe that they have one of the bats should contact the manufacturer by writing Ball Bat Update Program, P.O. Box 11317, Chicago, Illinois 60611.  

Hazard

One piece rubber grips and knob could deteriorate and separate from the handle of the bat, causing the bat to be propelled during a swinging motion and having the potential for striking a person in near proximity to the batter.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a No Remedy Available 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 (No Remedy Available) 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.