[Sportsandrec] Beep Baseball Regs
Joe Shaw
jrs3147 at comcast.net
Thu Jan 1 15:44:31 UTC 2009
Good post! Firstly in baseball the batter stands sixty feet six inches from
the pitcher's mound and not the above stated 90 feet. I agree that the press
coverage to any blind athletic death would be henous and singularly because
the victim was blind. As for lengthy posts, I like the rumination and have
been long-winded for a day or two now (smile) Don't give me a canvas if you
don't want me to paint a picture.
"In 1918 the great Bambino" "Kicked a piano into Willis pond" "But when
Johnny Damon swung the bat" "Grand slam that was that" "An 86 year curse was
broke" Get It Like You Like It Ben Harper
JS NM
----- Original Message -----
From: "Karen Zakhnini" <kaycee510 at hotmail.com>
To: <sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2009 5:53 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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