College Point Little League

BASEBALL BAT MORATORIUM OVERVIEW & BACKGROUND Important Overview A moratorium on the use of baseball bats with composite materials in the barrel was enacted by Little League. The moratorium was enacted because it was discovered, through laboratory testing, that a significant number of these bats could exceed the standard that is printed on the bat – after the bat was broken in. By definition, a moratorium is: An authorized delay or stopping of some specified activity. As applied by Little League International in 2011, the moratorium prohibited the use of all baseball bats constructed with composite material in the barrel, unless a specific model could show in laboratory testing that it would not exceed the standard that was printed on the bat, after the bat was broken in.The moratorium remains in place with regard to the baseball bats that meet BOTH of the following criteria: Bats with a barrel diameter of not more than 2 1/4 inches, and; Bats with a barrel that contains composite materials, excluding the end-cap. For the bats that meet the two criteria above, there is a process through which manufacturers can submit individual models for a possible waiver if they wish to seek it. Individual bat models are tested at an independent laboratory as requested by the manufacturer, and the results are conveyed to the manufacturer. If the manufacturer provides the results to Little League, and the bat passes the test, it will be noted. The moratorium for 2 1/4-inch barrel bats does NOT include: Softball bats, or; Baseball bats with barrels composed entirely of wood, aluminum, alloy, or metal, exclusive of the end cap. For bats with 2 5/8-inch barrels, the following will apply for the Junior League Baseball Division and Intermediate (50/70) Baseball Division. Ba ts with composite materials in the barrel must be compliant with BBCOR standards, and must be labeled as such; Bats with barrels composed entirely of wood, metal, aluminum, or alloy (exclusive of the end cap) are NOT required to be BBCOR compliant. These bats may be 2 1/4" in diameter (non-composite barrel) and must be marked with BPF 1.15 notation. Bats must meet the standards noted in Rule 1.10 for length, diameter, etc. For baseball bats, the following will apply for the Senior League and Big League Baseball Divisions: ALL bats with barrels that are not entirely composed of wood must be compliant with BBCOR standards, and must be labeled as such; Bats must meet the standards noted in Rule 1.10 for length, diameter, etc. Background on the 2011 Decision to Enact the Moratorium On Dec. 30, 2010, Little League International announced it had expanded its moratorium on the use of composite-barreled bats to all of its baseball divisions, including the Little League (Majors) division. In the weeks and months leading up to that, Little League International provided frequent updates on this issue through millions of e-mail messages to those who had signed up for alerts, as well as through the media, and