Sports still remain one of America’s favorite pastimes, whether individuals are players in the game or spectators on the sideline. However, there are safety risks with every sport, especially when players use defective equipment that can cause serious injury during regular use. With a recent recall of a popular fastpitch bat, competitive softball players need to be especially cautious with their equipment choice.
Last Thursday, Hillerich & Bradsby recalled approximately 13,000 Louisville Sluger OneX Fastpitch softball bats that were sold from May 2012 through February 2013. The bats, which retail for around $350, were sold at sporting goods stores nationwide and were also distributed to college amateur softball teams. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, “[t]he bat’s barrel can separate from the handle during use and strike people nearby.”
Louisville Slugger is recalling the entire 2013 line of the oneX softball bats, regardless of length and weight, including the model numbers FP136, FP1369 and FP1368. The recalled composite oneX bats have a white and gray shell with blue and yellow lettering. Two “Louisville Slugger oneX” logos are included on the barrel.
In a statement from the company, Louisville Slugger explains how a manufacturing defect can cause cracking or complete breakage between the barrel and the handle, possibly resulting in an injury. Players should stop using the bat, as the company has already received about 170 incident reports, including a handle separation that hit a player in the shin. Louisville Slugger requested that fastpitch softball governing bodies, such as the NCAA and the USSSA, remove the oneX from their list of approved bats.
Owners of the recalled bats will receive a 2013 Xeno bat as a replacement, and Louisville Slugger is also providing customers with an additional gift. The company will send the new bat before they receive oneX returns. Consumers can contact the company at 1-800-282-2287 between 8 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday or by email at customer.service@slugger.com.