Note: Firm is out of business.

LJN "Sling 'Em-Fling 'Em" Wrestling Ring Toy Recalled

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- LJN Toys, Ltd., New York, NY, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), recalled its World Wrestling Federation "Sling 'Em- Fling 'Em" wrestling ring toy because of potentially severe injuries should a child fall on one of the corner posts of the wrestling ring. LJN was a subsidiary of MCA, Inc. during the period of manufacture and sale of the wrestling ring. LJN, a publisher, marketer and distributor of home entertainment products, is no longer in the toy business.

The Commission indicates that there were four very serious injuries which resulted when children, ranging in age from six to 10 years, fell onto one of these toys. In each case, one of the four rigid plastic corner posts penetrated the child's body cavity causing severe internal injury.

LJN sold about 1.4 million toy wrestling rings between 1985 and 1989 for a retail price up to $20. The toy was promoted by featuring action figures of World Wrestling Federation (WWF) stars such as Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. The figures were sold separately.

The ring has an 18-1/2 inch square plastic base that is 3-1/2 inches high with four 9-1/2 inch long rigid blue plastic posts that snap into place at each corner. Once in place, the posts are about six inches high. Red, white, and blue elastic bands form the ropes around the ring. A decal with the WWF logo was supplied with each toy. Consumers may identify the LJN wrestling ring by looking underneath the base for these words molded into the plastic: "1985 LJN TOYS LTD. TITAN SPORTS INC. MADE IN U.S.A."

To prevent additional injuries, consumers who own these wrestling ring toys are urged to remove the four rigid plastic posts immediately. Because the posts are so rigidly secured, consumers may have to break the posts to remove them. LJN Toys Ltd. is out of business and cannot be contacted.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is announcing this recall as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The CPSC is the Federal agency responsible for consumer product safety. Some 15,000 different types of consumer products fall within the Commission's jurisdiction and each year these products are involved in an estimated 28.5 million injuries and 21,600 deaths.