Steven Domalewski of Wayne, NJ was a 12-year-old Little League pitcher in 2006 when a ball struck by an aluminum bat struck him in the chest.
Domalewski's heart stopped. He was revived, but his brain had been deprived of oxygen for at least 15 minutes, causing brain damage. Now 19, Domalewski has regained some ability to speak, but he is wheelchair bound and nearly blind.
According to the Bergen Record, his family accepted a $14.5 million settlement with the makers of the bat Wednesday. Though changes have been made, particularly in New Jersey, to use safer metal bats, concerns regarding the danger they can create remain.
Some softball players wear facemasks and heart protectors due to similar health concerns.
Some argue that youth baseball leagues should only use wood bats, though that creates a financial issue because wood bats break.
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