[Sportsandrec] Beep Baseball Regs
Ashley Bramlett
bookwormahb at earthlink.net
Thu Jan 1 15:32:10 UTC 2009
Karen,
Good argument. I'd rather pitchers be sighted for safety reasons. If a
blind person did it, best done by self pitching i think. Good point about
what if someone got killed! That would be awful1!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Karen Zakhnini" <kaycee510 at hotmail.com>
To: <sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2009 6:53 AM
Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] Beep Baseball Regs
>
> Hi Peter,
>
> I have been avoiding this disscussion a bit because I don't know that much
> about beepball (unlike Jennifer--thank you for the information), though I
> know a great deal about baseball and softball. I understand your
> concerns, and in some ways I agree with you, but I think that there are
> certain details you may be overlooking.
>
> First, beepball strikes me as much more equivalent to softball, not
> baseball. Therefore, 6 innings is the same, so no worries there. In
> addition, nobody could throw a beepball 80-90 MPH like a baseball--not
> even 60-70 like fastpitch softball. The ball weighs more than 3 times a
> standard baseball (about 5 oz.) and more than twice a standard softball
> (6-7 oz). Sure, this mean the velocity--both from the pitcher and off the
> bat--slows, making it easier to get out of the way. However, the pitcher
> also stands considerable closer in beepball (I think because the ball
> weighs so much more, making it harder to throw accurately from a greater
> distance). Standing so close takes away any advantage of the slower
> velocity. Jennifer has said that the pitcher stands 20 feet away. In
> standard softball, the pitcher is about 45 feet away and in baseball, 90
> feet.
>
> Finally, and I think most importantly, perhaps blind players are, in fact,
> willing to take the chance of getting hurt by pitching. Perhaps, because
> of the slower velocity, it doesn't hurt any more to get hit by a beepball
> than it does to get hit by a baseball or softball (which hurts an awful
> lot). However, did you ever think about what would happen if a blind
> player got killed by being struck by the ball? What do you think the
> press coverage would be? What do you think the public would think? And
> what, in turn, do you think would be the effect on our efforts for
> equality? I can tell you what I believe would happen, and you are
> certainly welcome to disagree with me. The press coverage would be fairly
> significant, and the story would be covered from the "sighted" point of
> view. The public would believe that the player died because he/she was
> blind--and ONLY because he/she was blind. It would likely not be
> mentioned that this has happened in baseball before with sighted
> players--they, of course, died because of the velocity of the ball of the
> bat, the unlucky angle, etc. But the blind player will have died, not due
> to the short distance between player and batter, not because of the
> unlucky angle, but ONLY because he/she was blind. This would be the
> perception, and this perception would likely be VERY damaging to the
> efforts of the NFB for full integration into society. Can you imagine the
> paternalism that would ensue?
>
> Sorry about the length of the post--I have been told that I get a bit
> passionate about these issues (don't get me started on Braille--smile). I
> hope that you are well. Happy New Year all!
>
> Sincerely,
> Karen Zakhnini> From: pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net> To:
> sportsandrec at nfbnet.org> Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:51:49 -0600> Subject:
> Re: [Sportsandrec] Beep Baseball Regs> > Good evening again everyone,> >
> We had both blind and sighted pitchers. The statements below bode well >
> for the concern I've raised. Sighted people believe blind people can't
> pitch > the ball and the blind players lap it up.> > Being smacked by a
> beep ball is no more a big deal than a sighted player > having the same
> experience. In fact some players have been killed by > well-aimed fast
> balls that struck them. Big deal!! They don't complain about > it. They
> recognize that it comes with the game and play ball! The blind > should do
> likewise!> > Peter Donahue> > > ----- Original Message ----- > From:
> "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>> To: "Sports and Recreation
> for the Blind Discussion List" > <sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>> Sent:
> Wednesday, December 31, 2008 6:28 PM> Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] Beep
> Baseball Regs> > > I think pitchers should be sighted for the accurracy
> and aiming. Good post> mike!> ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Mike
> Sivill" <mike.sivill at viewplus.com>> To: "'Sports and Recreation for the
> Blind Discussion List'"> <sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>> Sent: Tuesday,
> December 30, 2008 12:38 PM> Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] Beep Baseball
> Regs> > > > Sure blind people should try to uphold the same high standards
> as anyone> > else but within the boundaries of reality. If you've been
> smacked enough> > times with a big hard beep ball, you understand that
> pitchers need to be> > sighted or you need to self-pitch. One of my
> friends and I play beep ball> > one on one all the time. I am totally
> blind and he is fully sighted,> > however> > his vision has been getting
> bad since he's getting old.> > This is how we used to play:> > Sighted guy
> would pitch to me, i would hit the ball and he would field it.> > Then we
> would switch and he would throw the ball for himself, hit it and I> >
> would field.> > Then his vision goes:> > He throws the ball, sometimes at
> my knees, hands, head, or three feet away> > from my strike zone.> > So
> now I pitch for myself by throwing up the ball and hitting, as he was> >
> doing during his turns.> > If you don't agree with this then please send a
> totally blind pitcher to> > teach me how to do it right If you don't want
> things to be different for> > blind people you might as well not even use
> a beeping ball either or,> > heaven> > forbid, invent an entire sport like
> Goal-Ball just for blind people, since> > we can't play normal sports.> >
> Mike> > -----Original Message-----> > From:
> sportsandrec-bounces at nfbnet.org> >
> [mailto:sportsandrec-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Peter Donahue> >
> Sent: Monday, December 29, 2008 2:13 PM> > To: Sports and Recreation for
> the Blind Discussion List> > Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] Beep Baseball
> Regs> >> > Hello Jennifer and listers,> >> > Beep Baseball is a wonderful
> sport, but could be made better if the> > rules for playing standard
> baseball and softball are applied. What bothers> > me is the underlining
> assumption that the blind cannot compete as well as> > the sighted so
> should not be held to the same standard as sighted players.> > If the game
> for sighted adults is played in nine innings so should the> > blind> >> >
> be expected to play on the same terms. If baseball for the sighted> >
> requires> > runners to traverse three bases so should it for the blind. We
> manage> > collisions in everyday life just fine so why not on the baseball
> diamond?> > I> >> > thought the use of beeping bases was to minimize
> collisions in addition to> > helping the blind player locate them. If the
> pitcher is tired what do> > teams> > for the sighted do? They bring in
> another one. The same thing should> > happen> > in Beep Baseball.> >> >
> When blind persons participate in activities that allow them to get away>
> > with less than what is expected of the general public the downward
> spiral> > begins. They're not expected to play the game on the same terms
> as the> > sighted so why not ask the professor for extra time to complete
> a class> > assignment, why not ask the employer for extended breaks and
> lunch, why> > not> > sit out the laboratory assignment the teacher
> believes is too difficult or> > dangerous for a blind student to engage
> in. This is a very dangerous path> > to> >> > tred. I'm saddened that
> those who created the rules for playing beep> > baseball failed to
> recognize this and allow blind children and adults to> > play the game on
> substandard terms reinforcing the old myth that the blind> > cannot
> compete on terms of equality with the sighted. That's my rant for> > this
> afternoon.> >> > Peter Donahue> >> >> > ----- Original Message ----- > >
> From: "Jennifer Boylan" <jaboylan at gmail.com>> > To:
> <sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>> > Sent: Monday, December 29, 2008 2:16 PM> >
> Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] Beep Baseball Regs> >> >> > Hi Peter!> > I
> think beep baseball is exciting and has realistic regulations. All> >
> modifications seem to be necessary for a blind version of the sport or
> for> > keeping the game moving along, which keeps it exciting. We do use
> blind> > catchers and base operators. There is one legally blind pitcher
> in the> > league who has been injured numerous times but toughs it out. We
> don't> > need> > to kill ourselves out there! It is nearly impossible to
> hit the pitch by> > sound, so the timing and accuracy of the pitcher are
> essential for putting> > balls into play. Pitchers stand only 20 feet from
> home plate so need to> > be> > able to get out of the way quickly when the
> 1 pound ball is smacked at> > them> > by a 38 oz bat. The ball is heavy,
> since it must contain a charger,> > speaker> > and beeping mechanism. Let
> me tell you it hurts to stop a line drive in> > the> > outfield, let alone
> at 20 feet. Sighted help is not intrusive, but> > complements what we can
> do ourselves and keeps the game moving. Setting> > fielders up is mostly
> done by players talking, listening and orientating> > themselves to the
> sound of the ball or catcher's signal of "Set". Sotters> > help with minor
> repositioning to keep the game running and prevent some of> > the dead
> time between plays. Base-running is all you and the buzzing> > base.> >> >
> Regular softball has 6 innings, too. We don't want to wear the pitcher> >
> out> > with extra "balls" when we're not trying to get walked and he's on
> our> > team. There are only 2 bases because there would be many collisions
> in> > center field with a 2nd base, and we don't throw the ball to try to
> throw> > people out or tag them.> >> > I could go on; basically I really
> don't feel any of us that play the sport> > feel coddled in any way.
> Sighted teams come out to play us under> > blindfold> > and have great
> respect for what we do. I am interested in any discussion> > about blind
> sports, and would like to hear opinions about NFB philosophy> > anytime.
> There's always a balance to be found.> > Jennifer> >
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