EASTON SUES NCAA; NEW GUIDELINES MAY BATTER FIRM.Byline: Patrick Hipes Daily News Staff Writer Easton Sports, the industry's leading aluminum bat Aluminum bat may refer to:
abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association late Friday, seeking $267 million in damages and injunctive relief injunctive relief n. a court-ordered act or prohibition against an act or condition which has been requested, and sometimes granted, in a petition to the court for an injunction. to save the Van Nuys company's lucrative position in the marketplace. The lawsuit came as a response to a decision made Thursday by the NCAA Baseball Rules Baseball Rules are the rules for baseball played under three major rules codes, which differ only slightly. The North American professional leagues and many amateur leagues use the Official Baseball Rules, which are published to the public by The Sporting News; U.S. Committee to alter specifications on bats used by college teams beginning Jan. 1, 1999. If upheld, the rule change would render obsolete nearly 1.3 million bats already in circulation, costing the industry an estimated $140 million and forcing companies to scramble to meet the new standards by the beginning of the year. ``This is something you do only as a last chance when you have a situation that becomes irrational,'' said Easton Sports chairman Jim Easton, who has estimated that his 400-employee company could lose between $75 million to $80 million under the new guidelines. ``(The NCAA decision) would keep us out of the market for about a year, and we think it's unfair.'' The use of aluminum bats, often a touchy issue, became a hot topic after this spring's College World Series, when the high-scoring tournament culminated in USC's 21-14 victory over Louisiana State in the championship game. Critics complained about the proliferation proliferation /pro·lif·er·a·tion/ (pro-lif?er-a´shun) the reproduction or multiplication of similar forms, especially of cells.prolif´erativeprolif´erous pro·lif·er·a·tion n. of scoring while wondering about the safety of using the metal bats. The NCAA's ruling Thursday would force a maximum batted-ball exit velocity and change both size and weight specifications to make the bats perform more like their wooden counterparts used in professional leagues. ``I love scoring runs, so I don't have a problem with (aluminum bats),'' said Cal State Northridge baseball coach Mike Batesole, voted Collegiate col·le·giate adj. 1. Of, relating to, or held to resemble a college. 2. Of, for, or typical of college students. 3. Of or relating to a collegiate church. Baseball's 1998 Coach of the Year. ``Nobody's getting hurt out there, so from that standpoint I don't see the logic. The real deal is the kids. They're just getting bigger and stronger.'' Easton said concerns about safety were overblown o·ver·blown v. Past participle of overblow. adj. 1. a. Done to excess; overdone: overblown decorations. b. and thinks the NCAA used the argument to justify its decision. |
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