Originally published February 7, 2012 at 7:31 PM | Page modified February 7, 2012 at 11:48 PM
Spokane Valley company headed by George Brett is target of suit | Baseball
Lawyers are seeking class-action status for a suit that claims Hall of Famer George Brett has been falsely advertising necklaces and bracelets as being able to help improve health and sports performance. Spokane Valley-based Brett Bros. Sports International has falsely claimed its Ionic necklaces help customers relieve pain, recover from sports fatigue and improve focus, according to the suit.
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Lawyers are seeking class-action status for a suit that claims Hall of Famer George Brett has been falsely advertising necklaces and bracelets as being able to help improve health and sports performance.
Spokane Valley-based Brett Bros. Sports International has falsely claimed its Ionic necklaces help customers relieve pain, recover from sports fatigue and improve focus, according to claims in a lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Des Moines, Iowa.
Brett had 3,154 hits in a 21-season career with the Kansas City Royals and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999. The 58-year-old has been president of Brett Bros. Sports International since 2001 and appears in its advertisements.
The claims about the necklaces and bracelets appeared on the company's website from 2008 to 2010, and still appear on the packaging of the products, according to the lawsuit.
Lawyers are asking a judge to approve a class-action suit on behalf of thousands of customers who have bought the products in the last four years. Total damages "are likely in the millions of dollars," the lawsuit says.
Notes
• Clayton Kershaw, last year's NL Cy Young Award winner, and the Los Angeles Dodgers avoided a salary-arbitration hearing by agreeing to a $19 million, two-year deal.
• Texas and shortstop Elvis Andrus avoided an arbitration hearing with a three-year deal reportedly worth about $15 million.
• Oakland general manager Billy Beane's contract was extended through the 2019 season.
Beane has been GM of the Athletics since 1997. He is the subject of Michael Lewis' 2003 book on baseball statistics and economics titled "Moneyball," which was made into a film starring Brad Pitt as Beane last year.
• Police said former major-league outfielder Danny Clyburn Jr., 37, has been shot and killed in his hometown of Lancaster, S.C.
Police said witnesses told them they saw Clyburn arguing with Derrick Lamont McIlwain, 36, shortly before Clyburn was shot. McIlwain turned himself in and was charged with murder, police said.
Clyburn played for Baltimore and Tampa Bay. In 41 big-league games, he batted .211 and hit four home runs.
