by Jaime Rodriguez, RDPFS Intern
Baseball is one of America’s favorite pastimes, enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities. For people who are blind or have low vision and want to play the game they love, there is Beep Baseball. The adapted version of the game, Beep Baseball allows people who are visually impaired to play baseball with slight modifications. More than 30 teams play across the country, each consisting of six players who play a six-inning game. Teams can be co-ed and all players wear blindfolds to eliminate any advantage by players who have partial sight. There are two bases instead of three, located at the first and third base positions, which are four-foot tall, padded cylinders, with speakers that buzz to alert players in which direction to run. Beep Baseball players do not run all of the bases after hitting the ball; instead, a base operator turns on one of the bases, directing the batting player to run to one particular base. Two sighted participants play as pitcher and catcher, and one to two spotters in the field alert the defense as to which zone the ball has landed. “Beep baseball is a challenging, physically-demanding and enjoyable competitive sport for athletes who are blind or visually impaired…(who) use a combination of strength, skill and auditory senses to focus on the beeping ball and buzzing bases.”
Beep Baseball season culminates in a World Series of Beep Baseball. The 2022 World Series of the sport is coming to Texas in July 2022. The games will occur at the Cris Quinn Memorial Soccer Complex in Beaumont, from July 24 to 31, 2022. If you are interested in learning more about this event, check out the National Beep Baseball Association’s webpage, 2022 World Series. And for more information about the sport, including an in-depth description of the gameplay, rules, or how to create or join a team, check out the National Beep Baseball Association’s webpage title “Beep Baseball 101.”
