Little League Bat Ban

Little League Baseball announced on Dec. 30 that it has issued a moratorium on the use of composite barreled bats in all of its baseball divisions.

The ban closely follows the moratorium passed earlier this summer by the NFHS, which governs the playing rules of 17,000 high schools in the United States.

The Little League ban prohibits the use of composite-barreled baseball bats in sanctioned competitions. Wood bats, metal bats and metal bats with composite handles — known as hybrid bats — will not be affected.

In a prepared release, Little League president and CEO Stephen D. Keener cited research showing that, with heavy usage, composite barreled bats fall of out of compliance with Little League’s bat performance standard.

“While they may meet the standard when new, they can exceed that standard after a break-in process,” he said.

Little League will grant waivers and allow specific composite-barreled baseball bats if they can stay within Little League’s Bat Performance Factor specification after a throrough break-in process.

Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken

Earlier this fall, the Babe Ruth League announced that it will not allow composite-barreled bats in its 13-15 and 16-18 divisions.

The decision follows the moratorium placed on composite bats by the NFHS, the largest governing body of high school athletics in the United States. Like the NFHS ban, it only applies to bats with composite barrels.

Bats with composite handles and tapers will still be allowed.

The Babe Ruth League WILL ALLOW composite-barreled 2 1/4″ bats in the Cal Ripken Major, Minor, Rookie and T-Ball Divisions this season. The league had previously issued a moratorium on the use of composite-barreled bats in its Cal Ripken divisions, but on February 4, the league removed the moratorium.

PONY Baseball

PONY has not restricted the use of composite-barreled bats in any of its divisions.

Dixie Youth Baseball

Dixie Youth Baseball announced on Jan. 27 that it will not impose restrictions on the use of composite bats during the 2011 baseball season.

USSSA

In a decision announced on Jan. 10, USSSA has said that it will not enforce an immediate ban on composite-barreled baseball bats in its 14-and-under divisions.

“While other sanctioning bodies have chosen to ban older composite bats, USSSA has determined that it would be grossly unfair to disallow a bat with no notice to the retailers, manufacturers and customers who had previously relied on USSSA rules in the sale or purchase of a bat,” the organization said in a statement.

Instead, the organization will roll out a new mark for approved bats in the fall of this year, and it will go into effect in 2012. To receive the organization’s new stamp, bats must stay within the USSSA’s performance standard after a thorough break-in process.