Jeff Merrick, JD, LLM
Attorney at Law
Pediatric Law Firm
Helping injured children and their families.
1-800-970-5327
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Keep baseball fun with these safety tips.
Baseball, softball, and tee ball are among the most popular sports in the United States. Unfortunately, Hospital emergency rooms treat approximately 165,000 children each year for baseball-related injuries. Some injuries are inevitable, but others are not.
Children are killed by ball impacts and bat impacts.
Bat impact injuries can be prevented with proper coaching and supervision. Teach children to keep a proper distance from batters at the plate and players swinging bats to warm up for their turn at the plate.
CPSC analyzed baseball injuries treated at emergency rooms. It found that more than 50 percent of the baseball injuries for children under age 11 were to the head and neck area, while a larger percentage of older children sustained injuries to arms and legs. It found that 75% of the emergency room visits were by children between 10 and 14 years old, even though they account for only about 50% of the kids playing baseball. Of the total number of injuries to children, about 33 percent were severe, including fractures, concussions, internal injuries and dental injuries. The remaining 67 percent less severe injuries included bruises, scrapes, cuts, strains, and sprains.
The CPSC found that three pieces of safety equipment will help reduce injuries:
- Softer-than-standard baseballs, with a softer, spongier core, can prevent, reduce or lessen the severity of the 47,900 ball impact injuries per year to the head and neck.
- Batting helmets with face guards can prevent, reduce or lessen the severity of about 3,900 facial injuries occurring to batters in organized play. The Dixie Baseball League, an organization based in 11 Southern states, reported that since it switched to batting helmets with face guards, there has been a drop in both injury rates and insurance costs.
- Safety release bases help. These leave no holes in the ground, and no part of the base sticks up from the ground after base is released. These bases can prevent, reduce or lessen the severity of the 6,600 base-contact injuries occurring in organized play.
Parents ought to be sure that their children get the instruction they need and are using the safest equipment, whether they are playing organized baseball or just getting together with friends on the school playground for a pick up game.