Out of Control

Are metal baseball bats more dangerous than wooden ones? The New York City Council thinks so. In fact, the council recently decided to do what more and more pols are doing when they face most any kind of perceived threat--ban it. A new city law bans the use of metal bats in high school games.

Proponents of the new law -- set to take effect in September -- say metal bats increase the risk of injury because they cause balls to move faster, giving young players less time to react. But an American Legion Baseball study in 2005 found no substantial scientific proof that wooden bats are safer than metal bats.

Even if metal bats do increase danger on the diamond, and even if they should be banned, why should government do the banning?

In this age when banning things seems almost as American as baseball, the mayor's take sounds almost quaint:

Mayor Michael Bloomberg vetoed the bat ban last month, saying it was an issue for those who run youth leagues, not the government. The City Council then overwhelmingly overrode the veto.

More here.

Related: Other Big Apple Bans