PlusBoy's Family Suing After Metal Bat InjuryBoy's Family Suing After Metal Bat InjuryThe Associated PressA New Jersey family is suing those associated with the manufacture and sale of a metal bat, saying a ball from a line drive off the bat paralyzed their son. The boy was struck in the chest and his heart stopped beating. (May 20)[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE] [Notes:NATS UP ball on metal bat, kids at game]IT IS THE SOUND OF LITTLE LEAGUE ... THE PING OF A BALL ON A METAL BAT. [Notes:NATS of injured boy in wheelchair] BUT IT WAS A BALL IN the CHEST FROM A LINE DRIVE *OFF* A METAL BAT THAT CHANGED STEVEN DOMALEWSKI forever. THE NEW JERSEY BOY WAS 12 YEARS OLD IN 2006 WHEN HE SUFFERED BRAIN DAMAGE FROM THE INJURY. NOW, HIS FAMILY IS SUING THE BAT'S MAKER, THE STORE THAT SOLD IT ... AND LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL, FOR GIVING THE BAT ITS SEAL OF APPROVAL. [Notes:1:52:27][Notes:SUPER: Nancy Domalewski / Mother]SOT: I'm sad. I'm sad everyday. I miss my boy, the boy that he was.STEVEN WAS PITCHING WHEN HE WAS HIT JUST ABOVE THE HEART BY A LINE DRIVE ... HIS HEART STOPPED BEATING. DOCTORS SAY HIS BRAIN WAS ROBBED OF OXYGEN FOR 15 TO 20 MINUTES. [Notes:55:12][Notes:SUPER: Joseph Domalewski / Father]SOT: It was just so fast. The thud you could hear. When it hit him, that pretty much seemed to echo.OTHER THAN A FEW WORDS, STEVEN CANNOT SPEAK. LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL SAID THE ACCIDENT DID NOT OCCUR DURING A LITTLE LEAGUE GAME ... BUT IT WILL CONTINUE ITS COMMITMENT TO PLAYER SAFETY.THE FAMILY'S ATTORNEY SAYS THOSE NAMED IN THE SUIT SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THE BAT WAS DANGEROUS FOR CHILDREN. [Notes:4:30:18][Notes:SUPER: Ernest Fronzuto / Family's Lawyer]SOT: Louisville Slugger, you are now producing an aluminum bat that well exceeds any standards of safety. There needs to be a change.THE BAT'S MAKER SAID IN A STATEMENT that INJURIE OCCUR IN SPORTS ... THERE ARE ACCIDENTS. THEY say they SYMPATHIZE WITH STEVEN'S FAMILY, BUT THE BAT IS NOT TO BLAME. [Notes:NATS from Little League game]PARENTS OF KIDS PLAYING BALL SAY THE SPORT IS SAFE ... [Notes:1:11:25] [Notes:SUPER: Scott Gordon / Little League Coach]SOT: There's so many different accidents that could potentially happen, you just can't guard against them all. I feel really bad for the family, but I don't know if it means everybody else should change the way they're playing baseball. [Notes:NATS POP of ball on bat] [Notes:SUPER: Lynda Radosevich / Little League Mom]SOT: There is something about aluminum bats that worries me. They seem more dangerous, and that's just my mother intuition.BAT SAFETY IS AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR YOUTH BASEBALL ... METAL BATS ARE OUTLAWED IN SOME PLACES. IN 2002, THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION SAID THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH DATA TO SUPPORT BANNING METAL BATS IN YOUTH SPORTS.SO GAMES CONTINUE. AND THE DOMALEWSKI FAMILY IS LEFT CARING FOR THEIR SON, HOPING HE RETURNS TO THE BOY HE ONCE WAS. DOCTORS ARE keeping SILENT ABOUT THAT. ___ ___, The Associated Press.(****END****) ANCHOR VOICE:-------------------------VIDEO PRODUCER: Lee Powell / Bonny Ghosh------------------------------VIDEO SOURCE: AP--------------------------VIDEO APPROVAL:------------------------------V IDEO RESTRICTIONS:--------------------------- -------SCRIPT/WIRE SOURCE: NJ-Boy's Baseball Injury, ------------------------------------