January 30, 2004 - WASHINGTON, D.C. � The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the following recall in voluntary cooperation with the firm listed below. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: NERF® Big Play Football™

Units: About 294,000

Manufacturer: Hasbro Inc., of Pawtucket, R.I.

Hazard: The football contains a hard plastic interior frame that can pose a risk of facial cuts if a child is hit during play.

Incidents/Injuries: There have been nine reports of facial injuries, including eight requiring stitches or medical attention.

Description: The NERF® Big Play Football™ is a red and silver NERF football with a silver flip-open top that reveals an erasable writing pad to plan football plays on in the center of the ball. The NERF name, an NFL logo and a large black "X" are on the silver region of the football. Mike Vick's signature in red also is written on the football, and his photo is on the packaging.

Sold at: Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, Target, KB Toys stores and other toy retailers nationwide from August 2003 to January 2004 for about $10.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using this football immediately and return it to the company for a replacement NERF product of equal value. Hasbro will provide consumers with a postage-prepaid label to return the product.

Consumer Contact: Consumers should contact Hasbro, Inc. at (866) 637-3244 anytime, or go to www.nerf.com.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.