Beep Baseball returns to Savoy

SAVOY — Prairie Fields Park in Savoy will host four teams for the Annual Savoy Beep Baseball Tournament this weekend.

The tournament will be on Saturday, July 18, from 9:30 a.m.to 4 p.m.

Hosted by the National Beep Baseball Association, the tournament is an adaptive version of baseball for the blind, low-vision, and legally blind.

The event has regular support from the Champaign Lions Club, Dick’s House of Sport, the Village of Savoy, MindsEye Radio, and Experience Champaign-Urbana.

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

Rules of Beep Baseball

The games are similar to baseball, with some noted differences to accommodate the needs of the players. The second base doesn’t exist. The first and third bases are four-foot-high padded cylinders with speakers. These speakers give 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 is available on the NBBA website. 

Remarks on its return to Savoy

“We are excited to bring our brand of baseball to Champaign County. Beep baseball is a real eye-opener for fans,” states Tournament Director Darnell Booker. “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 Event Services 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. In addition, media representatives are welcome to attend the event. For more information about the NBBA, visit them online at nbba.org.

Jake Leonard, Executive Editor-In-Chief

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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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