Those who know our firm are aware that community safety in the Chicago area is always one of our priorities. When one of my son’s friends was seriously injured in a little league baseball game on opening day this spring, I knew that someone had to do something. Fortunately, the boy’s mom has been very successful at advocating for wooden bats to replace metal bats. Her article “Metal Bats Strike out with Barrington Parents” highlights the inherent dangers of metal bats.

What follows is my letter to the editors of all of the major publications in Chicago. The letter was published in over 50 community newspapers. Word has spread and our fight will continue on to the Illinois legislature.

Until a few months ago, I had very little interest in metal baseball bats. Then I learned firsthand about the serious safety threat they pose.As a personal injury attorney who has witnessed one too many times the devastating impact that sports equipment can have, I am writing to make your readers aware of the imminent danger of metal bats.

On opening day of baseball season, the 14-year-old son of a close friend was seriously injured while pitching during a Pony League game. A line drive hit by a metal bat struck him directly in the face, destroying his orbital lob and nose and requiring plastic surgery to repair. He will never look quite the same.

New York City has banned their use for 13-18 year-olds as of September 2007. North Dakota has banned them, and numerous other leagues and organizations across the U.S. have banned them or are considering doing so. The Illinois High School Association currently has five conferences that use only wood bats because of the growing safety concerns about metal bats. Jack Mackay, a former metal bat engineer for Louisville Slugger, has been an outspoken advocate against the use of metal bats.

I urge all local baseball leagues to ban the use of metal bats for the sake of our children and our communities. It would be a shame if this becomes a legislative issue when local leagues could so easily resolve the problem.