Measuring the speed of baseball pitches and tennis serves with microwave laser beams may be causing brain tumors, critics say.

They say the incidence of brain tumors in tennis stars, baseball players and umpires is above the average in the general population for the age groups involved.

Joe Imbriale, who hosts the fullertoninformer website of Fullerton, Calif., has tracked six youthful tennis stars who died of brain tumors and one who survived.

Radar guns at baseball games

Todd Witsken, 34, three-time All-American at USC who won 11 doubles titles as a pro, died at 34 in 1998, 21 months after a tumor was removed from his brain.

James Broach, 37, who won a national singles title at Trinity University, died in 2013, three years after developing a brain tumor.

Stephen Bell, 38. who won singles championships in in 1993-95 and 1997 in Cambridgeshire County, U.K., died Oct. 15, 2009 after a long bout with brain cancer.

Photo shows numerous microwave-emmiting radar guns being aimed at the pitcher/catcher/umpire.

Tim Gullikson, 44, longtime tennis pro who trained Pete Sampras, winner of 14 Grand Slam tennis matches, died May 3, 1996 of an inoperable brain cancer.

Chuck McKinley, 45, Wimbledon singles champion in 1963 and inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame, died Aug. 11, 1986 from brain cancer which was diagnosed in May 1985.

Rene Simpson, 47, ranked tennis player including No. 32 in doubles, who captained Canada’s Fed Cup tennis team from 2001-09, died Oct. 17, 2013 after a long bout with brain cancer.

Helen Kelesi, Canadian tennis pro who was inducted into the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, survived brain cancer after seven operations. One tumor was the size of a tennis ball. She was afflicted in 1995 at age 26.

Baseball Players with Tumors

Imbriale has tracked ten baseball players who were afflicted with brain cancers, theorizing that the microwave radar guns that measure speed of every pitch may be the cause.

Gary Carter, who caught for the Montreal Expos for 11 years to 1984 when he was traded to the New York Mets, handling 300,000+ pitches that were measured by radar guns, developed brain cancer that led to his death at 57 on Feb. 16, 2012. Phillies catcher Darren Daulton contracted two brain cancers that were successfully removed in 2013.

Dan Quisenberry, (1953-98), a right handed pitcher for the Kansas City Royals, who developed brain cancer on his left temporal lobe.

Bobby bonds, father of Barry Bonds, an outfielder, developed rain tumor and lung cancer.

Five who played at Veterans Stadium for the Phillies including Tug McGraw, John Vukovich, Johnny Oates, Ken Brett and Daulton, developed brain tumors.

Vukovich (1947-2007) was an infielder who spent most of his career at third base. His brain tumor was diagnosed in 2001.

Catcher Oates (1946-2004) had a tumor in the back of his head in the brain stem.

Pitcher Ken Brett (1948-2003) had a tumor on his frontal lobe.

Catcher Daulton had two brain tumors that were successfully removed in 2013

Pitcher Ricky Stone of the Cincinnati Reds survived after being operated for a brain tumor in 2009.

Bobby Murcer (1946-2008) New York Yankees center fielder and broadcaster, died of a tumor that was on his right frontal lobe.

Curt Schilling, former Phillies pitcher and recently announced he was diagnosed with mouth cancer which he blamed on chewing tobacco. San Francisco Giants pitcher Dave Dravecky developed cancer in his pitching arm that ended his career.

Marks Tracks 370 Celebs with Brain Cancer

Ellie Marks, head of the California Brain Tumor Assn., last year published a list of 300 prominent people who had died of brain cancers.

They include some of the above baseball players and such notables as Ted Kennedy, Beau Biden, 46, Connecticut attorney general and son of Vice Pres. Joe Biden; Yankee Bobbie Murcer, 62; movie critic Roger Ebert, 70; Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, author of Anti-Cancer, dying at age 50 in 2011; oncologist Chris O’Brien, dying at 57 in 2009; fashion designer Yves St. Laurent, 71, 2008; Rozelle, 70, 1996; Sam bottoms, actor, 58, 2003; Eugene O’Kelly, CEO, KPMG, 53, 2012, and Mark Purdey, “mad cow disease” researcher, 53, 2006.

Marks, who says her list is now up to 370 victims, notes that the tumor that Senator John McCain is being treated for has focused increased public attention on the issue.

She is especially distressed at the brain tumor death July 20 of Brian Smiley, 38, deputy attorney general of California, father of two young sons. “How long did tobacco take…I am losing patience,” said Marks.

Californians Battle Cell Towers

Marks and other Californians are leading a battle to block passage of bill SB 649 which they say would allow refrigerator-sized Wi-Fi routers on nearly a block-by-block basis. Local governments would lose control of such placements, they say.

The CBTA, based at 435 China st., #617, San Francisco, CA 94158, is seeking to raise $15,000 to hire a lobbyist.

The group is emailing prospective and current supporters as follows:

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

As many of you know I am extremely committed to the wireless radiation and health issue.

When a 10 year old boy is diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and there is a cell tower on the school property I get the call. When a 30 year old man is diagnosed with a brain tumor attributed to his cell phone use I get the call. I am getting far too many calls!

You are hearing about far more brain tumors daily. For every celebrity you hear about there are 100's of ordinary people deceased or suffering as the result of cell phone use or living near a cell tower. We are also hearing about babies being aborted as they have brain tumors. And this radiation is causing many cancers and other illnesses including the very real ES-electro-sensitivity.

I rarely reach out for funding but we have a crisis that will affect all of us that needs immediate action and funding.

Weh ave found an excellent political strategist to help with the campaign to stop SB 649 but that costs money.

We need to raise $15,000 NOW.

YOUR homes and YOUR children's schools, parks, and all public buildings will have powerful cell towers placed near then throughout California if we do not stop SB 649.

The 5G emissions are millimeter waves used by the military. You do not want this anywhere near you or your families.

This is what happened in Long Island recently: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLSr78kjCPc

Sadly, time is of the essence as telecom and "in their pocket" legislators are rushing this Bill through.

Despite the fact that 2/3 of the California population (represented by their city or county government) has opposed this bill our state legislators are moving quickly. Over 200 cities and 35 (out of 52) counties are opposed! One Assembly member voted in favor of SB 649 despite every city and county in her district opposing it!

Yet this Bill flew through the Senate and 2 Assembly hearings already.

The next Assembly hearing (Appropriations) is August 23. Then it goes to the Full Assembly September 4 and to Governor Brown by September My Colleagues and I have formed:

Californians Against SB 649. We have the support and wisdom of many worldwide experts. After we raise the funds I will send out our social media info and names of legislators for you to contact.

The work we are doing is for YOU and YOUR families. This is about your family's health and your real estate property values. The equipment will be in the public right of way in front of homes (every 5-10) in every neighborhood. If you have underground wiring new poles will be built in the right of way in front of your home! They are ugly, noisy, a fire hazard and emit a great deal of a possible carcinogen.

The Firefighters Union was opposed to SB 649 because they understand the health ramifications so a deal was cut-right of ways near fire houses are exempt!!!! But this is ok for our homes and schools? NO.

The bill pre-empts CITY AUTHORITY (AND YOUR INPUT) from the permitting of cellular facilities by giving it to state. According to telecom WE are standing in the way of progress. Reality is we are standing in the way of them making more money in a more expedient manner!

Our state legislators are ignoring health and safety concerns and concerns about the impact this will have on real estate and the SHLOCK that will be undermining the beauty of our California downtowns, parks and neighborhoods

Cities will also lose revenue that funds schools, parks, etc.

WE NEED YOUR HELP. Anything from $5 to 15K is appreciated. If you belong to a group that has opposed a tower in your neighborhood please reach out to the group to donate to us for this campaign.

We want to stop this:

http://www.kcra.com/article/2-students-get-cancer-ripon-parents-want-cell-towers-removed-from-schools/10046427

Many other states are being targeted now with similar bills. Even if you do not live in California please donate to this and it will benefit your state also.

https://ehtrust.org/list-us-state-bills-streamlining-wireless-small-cellsdasnodes-rights-way/

DO NOT LET THE WORD "SMALL" CELLS FOOL YOU - THE EQUIPMENT IS THE SIZE OF A REFRIGERATOR!

There is a solution-fiber optics-but telecom won't spend the money!

Donations can be mailed to:

California Brain Tumor Association c/o Ellen Marks
435 China Basin St. #617
San Francisco, CA 94158

Thank you so very much.

Ellie Marks
California Brain Tumor Association