Sportcraft And Wilson Batting Tee Games Recalled

WASHINGTON, DC -- General Sportcraft Company Ltd. and Foremost, both of Bergenfield, NJ, are recalling a children's baseball practice game called the "Batting Tee." The General Sportcraft product was sold under the Sportcraft name, and the Foremost model was sold under the Wilson name.

This recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The Batting Tee being recalled consists of a ball tethered to an elastic cord that is anchored to the ground with the U- shaped metal stake. The stake may come out of the ground and hit the player's body or head. A separate stand holds the ball during use. Injuries occur when children pull on the ball or cord and the stake suddenly pulls out of the ground and toward the child.

Units with a 1 1/4-inch common washer anchoring the ball directly to the base are not being recalled.

The CPSC has confirmed one report that a child received a skull fracture after being struck by a stake from a Batting Tee. These sets were sold nationwide. The firm estimates that 150,000 sets were sold under the Sportcraft label since 1980, and 70,000 Foremost sets were sold under the Wilson label since 1986.

Consumers can identify these products by the names "Sportcraft" or "Wilson" which appear on the base of the five sided stand. Recalled units have a U-shaped stake.

Sportcraft and Foremost advise consumers to discontinue use of the product and return it to the retailer where purchased for a cash refund. Consumers may also return the product to:

Batting Tee Recall
General Sportcraft/Foremost
140 Woodbine Street
Bergenfield, NJ 07621

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 Commission's objective is to help reduce the estimated 28.5 million injuries and 21,600 deaths that occur each year with 15,000 different types of consumer products within CPSC's jurisdiction.