In the Spring of 2022 we started our Blind baseball team working with a local club supporting visually impaired people called SAVI Northwest.  After consultation with the group and all of our visually impaired players we agreed the team name “Blind Trojans”.

Blind baseball itself was invented in Italy in 1994 by Alfredo Meli, who had been a professional baseball player.  This later led to the formation of the Italian Federation for Blind Baseball, AIBXC.

Blind baseball was introduced by AIBXC to, and then brought to the UK by, Lancashire Lions VISC and their subsequent development led to the formation of UK Blind Baseball Association (UKBBA) and the first national blind baseball team in 2019.  UKBBA expanded their development with other organisations including SAVI Northwest later that same year.

Liverpool Trojans Baseball Club were the first baseball club in the UK to set up a blind baseball team and in fact the Blind Trojans were the first domestic blind baseball team to exist in the UK.

The first ever UK Blind Baseball domestic season is set to start in May 2023 with players, teams and tournaments in Manchester, Liverpool, Lancashire, Sheffield and Cardiff.

Blind baseball is a great sport to get involved in whether you are visually impaired or fully sighted.  This is a great social opportunity as well as an opportunity to be active improving health and wellbeing in a fun and friendly environment.  Blind baseball is also reliant on the support and dedication of sighted players, volunteers, assistants, coaches and umpires alike.

If you would like to get involved or would simply like to know more feel free to contact our Blind Trojans Team Manager Matt, either via email on matt.cliff@savinorthwest.com, or via text, phone or WhatsApp on 07825381198.

The first ever WBSC Blind Baseball World Cup was held in Beek, Netherlands and took place in August 2022.  Some of our Blind Trojans players were actually part of that team.  For a quick glance of the game why not watch the WBSC Blind Baseball World Cup highlights video below:

WBSC Blind Baseball International Cup - The Netherlands 2022 (Beek)

Blind baseball – A basic introduction to how it works…

Each   team   consists   of   5   blind players, one sighted player, and one sighted defensive assistant.  The two sighted players also   serve   as   base coaches at second and third base when the team comes to bat.

The defensive field of play is the area of left field beyond the separation rope between the second defensive base and the third base foul line.  The defensive second base is 13 feet towards the left field from the original second base (There are two second bases in blind baseball).

The offensive bases correspond to the ones used in sighted baseball.

First base is sound activated, second base is the batter's goal, third base and home base can be reached by runners following a hit made by one of their teammates.

In order to reach second and third base, the sighted players use wood or plastic clappers at the bases in order to direct the blind runners.  the blind players must track the noise to locate and make contact with the base.

The adapted blind baseball is a hard rubber ball that contains six holes with two nickel-plated brass bells inside which help blind players hear the ball.  All blind players are required to wear blackout eyeshades during play.

The batter who is blind puts the ball in play by either hitting it from their hand or tossing it in the air and hitting it. (The ball is not pitched to the batter it is held by the batter).

In order for the batted ball to be ruled “IN PLAY”, it must travel through the infield bouncing at least once before the rope which is positioned between the second defensive base and the third base foul line.

The batter-runner attempts to reach second base either by touching or going around first base and they are ruled safe if they arrive before the sighted defensive player, positioned on the second base, catches the throw from the blind defensive player.  The sighted defensive player is permitted to shout “two, two, two!” to indicate their location so that the blind defensive player knows where to throw the ball.

The batter is allowed three swings and if they do not put the ball in play or fail to hit it on the final swing, it is a strike out.

The runner on second base advances to third base and home plate on successive batted balls.  Runners can leave the base only after the umpire has called the batted ball “FAIR” and this occurs when the ball, properly batted, surpasses the rope.

Upon arrival at either second or third base, the runner must touch the base. They do not have to maintain contact with the base.

Any  runner  on base  can try to steal an “extra base” only after the blind fielder has thrown the ball past the sighted assistant.

The time spent by the sighted assistant in order to retrieve the ball and return to the base corresponds to the time runners have to steal  the “extra base”.  Runners steal at own risk.

A run is scored when the runner crosses the  imaginary  home plate line (13 feet or  about 4 meters). The centre of this line corresponds to the home plate vertex and it is lined up to the first base foul line, going both sides of home plate.

A homerun is scored when the ball, batted in fair territory, travels beyond 225 feet or 68.6 meters.

The sighted defensive player may field a ball hit toward them, as long as they maintain contact with the second defensive base. The batter, in this case, is ruled out. The ball is ruled dead. If there are other runners on base at the time, they must return to their respective bases before the play can resume.

Runners at second base, third base, and the batter-runner are considered out when the sighted player (positioned at second base) firmly catches the batted ball  retrieved and thrown to him  by the blind  defensive  players  prior to any  runner reaching the base. In this case the defence with one throw can make one or two or even three put outs in one go.

If a ball batted in fair territory goes over the line between second base and third base on a FLY, the batter is automatically declared “OUT” for safety reasons and the ball is ruled dead. (This is called FLY OUT). If there are other runners on base at the time, they must return to their respective bases and game will resume with the next batter.

Games are normally played in 7/9 innings. Or are time limited.