FOR: Citizens Supporting Ban on Metal Baseball Bats

CONTACT: Chris Ruys, Chris Ruys Communications, Inc. 312/337-7746, (Cellular) 312/259-3495

Media Advisory Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009, 10 a.m.

New York City Banned Metal Baseball Bats - Will Chicago Follow Suit?

Citizens Supporting Proposed Ordinance to Testify at Hearing Feb. 25, 2009

WHO: A group of professionals, parents and a teen*, united in their support of a proposed Ordinance introduced last fall by 2nd Ward Alderman Robert Fioretti to ban metal baseball bats in favor of traditional wood bats for use by youths involved in any organized baseball game in Chicago public schools or at Chicago Park District sites. . .

WHAT: will testify at a public hearing of the Parks and Recreation and Education committees. . .

WHERE: in the Chicago City Council chambers, 2nd floor, Chicago City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle Street. . .

WHEN: on Wednesday, February 25, 2009, beginning at 10 a.m.

Those providing testimony in favor of the ban include:

• Antonio M. Romanucci, a partner in the Chicago injury law firm of Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, who has extensive experience in traumatic brain injury litigation;
• Dr. Ricardo Senno, M.D., a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation (Dr. Senno is the former director of the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) unit at the Rehabilitation of Chicago and a specialist in the rehabilitation of TBI patients);
• Tony Russo, 16, of Barrington, a sophomore at Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, whose face was shattered when he was struck by a baseball hit by a metal bat (he has since undergone two plastic surgeries);
• Jack Carlson and Debbie Patch, of Miles City, Montana, the uncle and mother of a teenager who died when he was struck by a baseball hit by a metal bat;
• Joe Domalewski, a graphics arts high school teacher from Wayne, New Jersey, whose teenage son Steven can neither speak nor walk since, at age 12, he was struck square in the chest by a ball hit by a metal bat;
• Sam Sparacino and Jaime Velez, an umpire and baseball coach, respectively, for the Chicago Public Schools;
• Marc Brignola, executive director, The Sports Academy-Northwest and director of The Student Athlete Foundation, of Buffalo Grove.