[Sportsandrec] Beep Baseball Regs

Thu Jan 1 17:37:16 UTC 2009

Joe,

Yes, I realized after I reread my post that it's 90 feet between the bases, 60 (and apparently change) to the mound. 

Karen

P.S. I'll bite on the song lyrics: 
"We're goin' swingin' 
We're gonna swing in the crowd 
And we'll be clingin'
And floatin' high as a cloud"
Bandstand Boogie, Barry Manilow (lol)> From: jrs3147 at comcast.net> To: sportsandrec at nfbnet.org> Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 09:44:31 -0600> Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] Beep Baseball Regs> > 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> > > > _______________________________________________> > Sportsandrec mailing > > list> > Sportsandrec at nfbnet.org> > > > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org> > To > > unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for> > > > Sportsandrec:> > > > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org/pdonahue1%40sb> > > > cglobal.net> >> >> > _______________________________________________> > > > Sportsandrec mailing list> > Sportsandrec at nfbnet.org> > > > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org> > To > > unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for> > > > Sportsandrec:> > > > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org/mike.sivill%40> > > > viewplus.com> >> >> > _______________________________________________> > > > Sportsandrec mailing list> > Sportsandrec at nfbnet.org> > > > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org> > To > > unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for> > > > Sportsandrec:> > > > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org/bookwormahb%40earthlink.net> > > > > _______________________________________________> Sportsandrec mailing > > list> Sportsandrec at nfbnet.org> > > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org> To > > unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > > > Sportsandrec:> > > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org/pdonahue1%40sbcglobal.net > > > > > _______________________________________________> Sportsandrec mailing > > list> Sportsandrec at nfbnet.org> > > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org> To > > unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > > Sportsandrec:> > > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org/kaycee510%40hotmail.com> > _________________________________________________________________> > Send e-mail faster without improving your typing skills.> > http://windowslive.com/online/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_speed_122008> > _______________________________________________> > Sportsandrec mailing list> > Sportsandrec at nfbnet.org> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > > Sportsandrec:> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org/jrs3147%40comcast.net > > > _______________________________________________> Sportsandrec mailing list> Sportsandrec at nfbnet.org> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Sportsandrec:> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org/kaycee510%40hotmail.com
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