Parents debate over baseball jerseys sporting gun shop logo

4/26/2013

LAMBERTVILLE -- A local gun shop's sponsorship of a youth baseball team in Bedford Township has left some parents angry and refusing to let their children wear the team's jersey.

Todd Bruning, who owns Todd's Guns in Lambertville, wanted to sponsor his two children's team, the Cubs, an age 6-8 team in the 3B Baseball league. But when players got their jerseys Thursday, some parents were upset that name of Mr. Bruning's shop adorned the front of the shirt.

Barry Walters, the team's coach, said he wouldn't let his son wear the jersey.

"Don't use my kid as a billboard to promote guns," he said.

Other parents, too, have said they thought the shirt was inappropriate. Amy Barnes said she doesn't have anything against guns or gun shops, but doesn't want her son wearing a jersey that advertises for guns.

"I think it was a ballsy move to just assume a parent is fine with their child having something about firearms on a baseball jersey," she said.

Mr. Bruning said he just wanted to support his kids and the community. League officials are telling parents they will pay for them to cover up "Tom's Guns" if they object, and Mr. Bruning said he's fine with that.

"I have no problem with it whatsoever," he said. "If the parents don't want guns on their shirt, just give them another shirt."

-  NOLAN ROSENKRANS