Beep Baseball

Beep baseball, or Rounders, is a variation on the original game of baseball developed specifically with the visually impaired in mind. All players wear blackout eyeshades and hence are ‘blind’. There are six players in a beep baseball /Rounders team.

There are two bases (a four foot high padded cylinder with in built speakers) positioned 100 feet from the batsman/woman. These each base produces a different but distinctive audio signal when activated by a base operator. The batter does not know in advance of hitting the ball which base will be turned on.

The batter uses a normal baseball bat and strikes at a baseball which gives off a high pitched beep. The baseball is positioned on a tee stand close to where the person with the bat stands. The batter swings the bat and attempts to hit the beeping ball as far as possible. For more advance players a pitcher may throw the beeping ball towards the point where it is likely to be struck when the bat is swung. A verbal signal of ready is given before the batman swings.

Once the ball is hit, the base operator activates one of the bases. The batter must identify the correct buzzing base and run directly to it as quickly as possible before the ball is fielded / found by a defensive player. If the runner gets there first, then a ‘run’ is scored. If the defensive player reaches the ball first and raises it then they score an ‘out’.

A contest lasts for six (6) innings unless more are needed to break a tie. A team has three (3) outs per inning, The tema with the most runs at the end of the game wins

This game has elements of desire, determination, teamwork, skilled performances, fun and competition.

A player does one of three things when batting — hitting the ball and make a run, hitting the ball and be ‘outed’ by the defence or striking out. A batter is allowed four 4 strike outs and only one pass ball.

A hit ball must travel at least forty (40) feet to be considered fair. A hit ball that does not reach the forty (40) foot line is considered foul. A ball that travels one hundred eighty (180) feet in the air is considered a home run.

Playing defence is the most challenging aspect of Beep Baseball/Rounders. Each player when playing defence is allocated a number according to his field position. Most teams use the same numbering system to identify defensive positions. 1 = right baseman; 2 = right fielder; 3 = middle; 4 = left fielder; 5 = left baseman; and 6 = back fielder. Sighted spotters positioned in the outfield, one on either side of the field will instantly call out the number where the ball is heading and the defence players move accordingly to get the ball. However, spotters cannot pass on any further information, only one 1 number may be called. The players can verbally communicate with each other.

The batsman is ‘outed’ by fielding the ball before the batsman reaches the base – the defending player must have the ball in hand and off the ground to constitute possession. Good defensive players learn to use their bodies and the ground to block and trap the ball, and then pick it up to display it for the umpire’s call.

Contact

Irish Blind Sports
1 Christchurch Hall,
High Street,
Dublin 8.

Tel: 085 8500193
info@ibsports.ie