Ryan Ostry
Bugle Reporter
@RyanOstry_BR18
rostry@buglenewspapers.com
The official 2019 Beep Ball Bash is coming to Bolingbrook Saturday, June 8 at is hosted and sponsored by the Bolingbrook Lions and the community of Bolingbrook.
The games are slated for 8 and 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, all teams play at 8 a.m. followed by the award ceremony at the Bolingbrook Aquatic Park.
Unfortunately, because of the popularity of the tournament, there is a waiting list for teams to play in the tournament.
“The Bolingbrook Beep Ball Bash is known as the best eight team [tournament] in the nation,” said Jim Patula, Lions Club representative. “With that reputation, there is a waiting list for teams to play in the event and generally all teams in good standing that played in the previous year’s tournament are invited to play the following year.”
Beep Baseball is a game designed for the visually impaired, with the National Beep Baseball Association was organized in the United States in 1976
In the game, fielders and the batter are blindfolded, although they must also be legally blind, in most cases. However, if a team cannot field the minimum six batters required to fill its lineup card, the NBBA allows the team up to two sighted volunteers to blindfold themselves and play as the players with visual impairments do. Catcher, pitcher and spotters do not wear blindfolds and are usually sighted, although there have been a few who are partially blind.
The ball beeps and is a modified, oversized softball. The bases are blue, are nearly 5-feet tall, and have mostly foam interior with the electronics that cause it to buzz steadily when a switch is thrown. They are each placed 100 feet from home plate and are in the equivalent positions to first and third bases in regular baseball.
The Bolingbrook tournament was one of the first in the country to offer a cash award.
The following teams that will be competing in this year’s tournament are: Chicago Comets (hosts), Austin Blackhawks, Cleveland Scrappers, Indy Edge, Indy Thunder, Minnesota Millers, New Jersey Titans and the St. Louis Firing Squad.
With this tournament being around for the last 18 years, it has gotten a lot of popularity within the city of Bolingbrook, and for good reason.
Spectators who witness today’s style of beep baseball are delighted and amazed.
They see athletes who are visually impaired dive on to the ground to stop a beeping ball and run full speed 100 feet toward the sound of a buzzing base to score a run.
They see desire, determination, teamwork and in many cases skilled performances of players with visual impairment having fun in the midst of extreme competition.
“This is a unique event which most people have never experienced,” Patula said. “Most first time spectators are impressed by the skill level of blind athletes and are emotionally moved by the event.”
For more information on the 18th annual BeepBall Bash, you contact Jim Patula by email at patulajim@yahoo.com or by phone at (331)-253-7094.