Beep Baseball holds tournament for visually impaired in Savoy

SAVOY — Prairie Fields Park in Savoy will host three teams for the Annual Savoy Beep Baseball Tournament on Saturday, July 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hosted by the National Beep Baseball Association and supported by the local Lions clubs, the tournament is an adaptive version of baseball for the blind, low-vision, and legally blind.

Athletes from around the Midwest will travel to Savoy to compete, including the Indy Thunder, Chicago Comets, and Gateway Archers.

The games are similar to baseball with some noted differences to accommodate the needs of the players. The second base is removed, while the first and third bases are four-foot-high padded cylinders with speakers, giving off a continuous buzzing sound when activated. Each team fields a sighted pitcher and catcher, with specific rules for communicating the pitching of the ball. The balls emit a beeping sound, helping the team on the field play defense. A complete overview of the rules of Beep Baseball can be found on the NBBA website.

“We are excited to bring our brand of baseball to Champaign County,” states tournament director Darnell Booker. “Beep baseball is a real eye-opener for fans. In Beepball, we say silence is golden but applause is necessary.”

“We are honored to continue to host this incredible tournament,” explains Mark Brown, Director of Sports, Events, and Film for Experience Champaign-Urbana. “Witnessing the athleticism and skill required to be a part of this adaptive sport is an exceptional opportunity for our community. We look forward to welcoming athletes and their fans to the area.”

Games will be free and open to the public.

For more information about the NBBA, visit them online at nbba.org.

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Jake Leonard

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Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.

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