So What Is Beep Baseball, Anyway?
The Quick Answer...
Beep Baseball, also often referred to as, "Beepball," "Beeper Baseball," "Beeper Ball," and several other variances, are all the same game... they're all referring to this great sport of Beep Baseball.
Beep baseball is a form of baseball adapted for the visually impaired. It's actually more like softball... "softball--with a twist."
Due to varying levels of visual impairment, players are blindfolded. The pitcher and catcher are sighted, but the batters and the fielders are blindfolded. The ball beeps, and the bases buzz, to allow the players to locate and track them.
It's a fun and challenging game... exciting to play--and exciting to watch! Come on out to a game and find out for yourself. You just may find you love the game!
The Details...
The game is played with standard softball bats, a 16-inch circumference ball, which emits an audible beep tone, and two bases (48-inch pylons) which emit an audible buzzing sound. A beep baseball team consists of six players, all whom are blindfolded to equalize each player's degree of visual impairment. In addition, each team may use two sighted spotters when playing defense and a sighted pitcher and catcher when batting.
A beep baseball game consists of six innings in which each team is allowed three outs. An "out" consists of four strikes or an occasion where a fair ball is struck by the batter, but the ball is fielded prior to the batter reaching the base. A "run" is scored if the batter hits a fair ball and contacts a base prior to the ball being under the control of a fielder. A game is won by the team scoring the most runs during the course of the game.
The dimensions of a beepball field are established by the National Beep Baseball Association (NBBA) and are standard throughout the country. First and third base are positioned 100-feet from home plate and 10-feet outside their respective foul line. The pitcher's mound is 21-feet, 6-inches from home plate. On a regulation beepball field, which is all grass, arcs are chalked from foul line to foul line at distances of 40-feet and 180-feet. If a batted ball does not cross the 40-foot line, it is considered a foul ball. If a ball is batted past the 180-foot line on the fly, it is automatically scored as a two-run home run.
Other important participants in beep baseball are the umpires. One or more field umpires watch the defensive players closely and make a verbal announcement of "CAUGHT" when a fielder gains full control of a batted ball. Control is achieved when the ball is held off the ground and away from the fielder's body. Base umpires watch the runners closely and make a verbal announcement of "THERE" when any part of the runners body contacts the base. The home plate umpire makes the final determination wether a batter is safe or out.
Want to learn more?
If you have any other questions, or want to learn about playing in your community, or just want to get in on discussions about Beep Baseball, then please come and join us on the Beep Baseball e-mail discussion list.
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