Council Passes Bill Banning Metal Bats In H.S. Games

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who rallied on Democratic members to support the bill, said, "We think this is an appropriate safety step for us to protect our high school athletes."

Hoping to prevent injuries in future baseball games, the City Council last week passed a bill banning the use of metal bats in high school games.

However, the bill faces an uncertain fate because Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he was not sure whether or not he will sign it into law.

The bill passed by a 40- 6 vote with two abstentions. This would seem to assure that proponents can override a veto. An override requires only 34 votes.

Among those voting against the measure was City Councilmember Tony Avella (D- Bayside). "As much as this is an emotional and sensitive issue, sometimes you have to have facts, and the statistics are just not there," he said.

Taking the opposite view and voting for the ban, Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. (D- Astoria) said it was a common sense issue. "Anyone who has been on a ball field knows aluminum bats hit harder," he said.

The bill's sponsor, Council Minority Leader James Oddo (R- C, Staten Island), who first introduced the measure six years ago, stated he "really believed" in the bill.

"There is a risk in all sports," Oddo pointed out, "and there is a risk in playing with a wooden bat, but when the risk becomes unreasonable, people have to act."

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who rallied on Democratic members to support the bill, said, "We think this is an appropriate safety step for us to protect our high school athletes."

The mayor said he had received calls from professional baseball players on both sides of the issue.

"I'll look at the data and try to decide whether or not it's an appropriate thing for the city to do, to get involved and, if so, what the science says," he said.

The bill's legality may be challenged by the bat industry, some of that industry's officials said. They believe this council's action was the first such passage anywhere in the United states.

Aluminum bats were first introduced about 35 years ago. There have been instances ever since of batted balls striking and injuring pitchers. But injuries occur also in games where wooden bats are used, so it's not a definitive point.

The bill was opposed by some coaches, leagues and athletic associations, including Little League International and the New York Catholic High Schools Athletic Association.- John Toscano