Italy is the European country where baseball for the blind developed the most. A selection of the eleven-team league dominated the International Mole’s Cup. A beep baseball star in the USA thankful to the Orioles, who included braille lettering in their uniforms
Regenburg (Germany) hosted the eighth edition of the Mole’s Cup, the European event dedicated to baseball for the blind. Teams from Italy, France, Germany and a mixed squad (made by Italian and German players) participated.
Italy outscored the opponents 13-1 in the qualification round and then shut out, 7-0, France in the championship game.
The Italian team that won the Mole’s Cup (AIBxC)
Italy is the European country where the modifield version of baseball for the visually impaired developed the most. The Italian League opened in 1997 and is organized by the Associazione Italiana Baseball per Ciechi (AIBxC). Italy developed an original version of baseball for the blind. The Mole’s Cup is played according to the Italian rules.
The 2018 Italian League of baseball for the blind saw eleven teams participate: five in the Lombardia Region (Patrini Malnate, Lampi Milan, Leonessa Brescia, Thunder’s Five Milan), one in the north east Friuli Venezia Giulia (Staranzano), one in the Capital City Rome, one in Florence (Tuscany), one in Umbria (Redskins), two in the Sardinia island (Thurpos and Tigers Cagliari).
The Patrini Malnate won the championship game against Lampi Milan.
Baseball for the blind received attention in the United States as the Baltimore Orioles (American League East, MLB) decided to incorporate Braille lettering in their gameday uniforms on Tuesday, 18 September. The Orioles wanted to recognize the fortieth anniversary of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) moving its headquarters to Baltimore.
Tonight, the @Orioles became the first pro team to wear uniforms with Braille lettering.
Awesome. #BiggerThanBaseball pic.twitter.com/X57VttYxDd
— MLB (@MLB) 19 settembre 2018
“They’re acknowledging that you’re there,” Erik Rodriguez, an 18-year olf beep baseball star, told ABC News “Sometimes that’s the biggest step.”
Beep baseball is the version of baseball for the blind that has been played in the USA since 1976.
Erick Rodriguez plays shortstop for the Indy Thunder, thre three times winners of the beep baseball World Series (abcnews.go.com)
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