2008 Woodie Awards
Blind Delta students play beep baseball
Beep baseball is baseball for the blind, where the ball and bases beep so they can sense where to make the play.
Karyn Gilbert
Issue date: 10/15/04 Section: Sports
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"Beep ball is one of the competitive sports that we are able to compete in," said Rita Overstreet."
The Stockton Sting Rays consist of nine players, of which six play in the field, and team manager Sandra Martinez, who has been with the team for the last two yeas.
"When I started working here they wanted to play baseball and we got started," said Martinez.
She was aided by Alex Gil from Stagg High School, who is the team pitcher.
The team came to Delta Thursday, Oct. 7, as a part of disability Awareness Day, to demonstrate to the seeing that despite being blind, they are able to play a highly popular sport.
The Sting Rays waited for students to come play them out on the soccer fields but no one showed except two friends, who were also blind, so Martinez moved to Danner Hall to talk about their interactive sport.
"I moved it inside and told the students about it, and gave (them) my card and if they (wanted) get six others, (so) they can challenge them," said Martinez. "I did a little demonstration about the beeping ball and mask and bases, and they were amazed that blind people could play baseball."
A beep baseball team can be formed anywhere in the blind community. The blind can join a team by going to their local Community Blind Center and putting a new team together. From there they have to get registered and can compete in the regional games and even the World Series.
The next World Series, that Overstreet hopes the team can attend, is from July 24-31 in Houston Texas.
We just need sponsorship to get there," said Overstreet.