Featuring six teams, the Italian Baseball for the Blind (LIBCI-Lega Italiana Baseball Ciechi & Ipovedenti) season is starting today.

After a challenging period, the Baseball for Blind 2020 Championship will begin in a reduced-format competition as only six out of the usual ten teams have given their consent to participate. The teams are divided into two pools of three teams each, playing 7-inning games. The season, organized in a single round-robin format, will finish on October 10, when the Champion will be crowned.

The teams taking part in the championship are: I Patrini Malnate, Roma All Blinds, Tigers Cagliari, Fortitudo BO – WS, Leonessa BXC, Umbria Redskins.

The rules
The adaptive 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. The ball is not pitched to the batter: the batter puts the ball in play by tossing it in the air and hitting it. Each team consists of 5 blind players, one sighted player, and one sighted defensive assistant. These two sighted defensive players and assistants also serve as base coaches at second and third base when the team comes to bat, using clappers to direct the runners.

Find out more at the official website of the Italian Baseball for the Blind League or watch the documentary “Home Base” (English Version).

/ Elda Ghilardi
Photo courtesy of the Italian Baseball for the Blind League