Home|Sports|‘Beep Baseball’ launched in The BahamasSports
It’s a form of baseball that can be played by persons who are blind or visually impaired
The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJuly 6, 2022 279 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email
Looking to find a way to give the blind and visually impaired a sport to play, the Bahamas Coalition of Advocates for Disability Awareness and Services (BaCadas) officially launched ‘Beep Baseball’ on Saturday at the Anatol Rodgers High School.
“Beep Baseball” is a form of baseball that can be played and enjoyed by persons who are visually impaired. The ball is an oversized softball that beeps.
Executive director and chairman of BaCadas Kendrick Rolle said he is happy that the sport is finally launched in The Bahamas.
“It was a long time coming. When you learn that something like that started from a long time ago coupled with the fact that there was never an opportunity for persons in The Bahamas who are blind and visually impaired or low vision to have a sporting activity to be a part of, it is a wonderful feeling. It provides an opportunity for them to go out and get some exercise and run about in fresh air and just have a different form of entertainment other than listening to television or radio,” Rolle said.
Rolle said they are a group of persons who are looking to create an inclusive environment for people with disabilities.
“The whole initiative with ‘Beep Baseball’ and mixing in junkanoo is just the first steps we are taking in providing a more inclusive environment for persons with disabilities to participate in. Our aim is to get them involved, starting with ‘Beep Baseball’ and junkanoo,” Rolle said.
On hand throwing out the first pitch at the launch of the event was Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Commodore Raymond King.
“I had an opportunity to meet with Rolle and saw the work that they did with disabled persons who are blind and visually impaired from as early as 2018. I was able to garner support from members of the RBDF and we conducted several field activities for those persons. There were two hikes and it was an eye-opener for me and a life-changing event. The RBDF has assisted the disability community with their fundraisers. My vision is to be a socially responsible citizen and to be able to give back to society. The RBDF has been aggressive in assisting entities throughout the length and breadth of The Bahamas,” King said.
After the presentation, there was a demonstration of the game on the Anatol Rodgers school courts. There is an organization called the National Beep Ball Association (NBBA) in the United States of America that put on tournaments and even stages a world series format tournament. Play is usually for the blind or visually impaired but it can also be played by sighted persons who are blindfolded. There are two bases that are 100 feet away from the home plate, and unlike the sport of baseball, a batter is out after four strikes.