Injured baseball player debuts prototype helmetRSS Feed

A cutting edge baseball helmet designed to prevent brain injury has been unveiled on the one year-anniversary of an accident that hospitalised one player for two months.

Gunnar Sandberg, of Marin Catholic High School, was struck on the head by a ball travelling at 130mph, which left him in a coma for one month and in need of several operations to reduce brain swelling.

The Easton-Bell sporting goods company gave Mr Sandberg the present of a prototype helmet, which was inspired by the player's injury.

Stephen D Keener, chief executive of Little League Baseball, said: "This type of product needs to be introduced at the youngest levels of youth baseball.

"That's not going to happen overnight. It's going to take some time ... What we're talking about is saving kids' lives. These injuries are rare. When they do happen, they are very traumatic, catastrophic."

Brain and spinal injury in sports has been the subject of media debate since Rutgers American football player Eric LeGrand was paralysed on the field.

Serious Law, award winning brain injury law firm

Posted by Matthew Heap
 

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