Below is a press release from the Alstrom Angels non-profit organization:
WEST TEXAS TEAMS TAKE THE BEEP BASEBALL CHALLENGE
LUBBOCK, Texas – July 12, 2018 – More than 150 West Texans are getting blindfolded and stepping up to bat. On Saturday and Sunday, July 14 and 15, 2018 Alström Angels will host 12 teams in Lubbock’s only beeping baseball tournament for children and adults who are blind, visually impaired, and those that are sighted; everyone plays blindfolded.
Beep Baseball was started in 1964 by engineers at the Mountain Bell Telephone Company. The game was designed to allow individuals with visual disabilities the chance to play one of America’s greatest sports: baseball. In Beep Baseball, both the balls and bases are modified to emit an audible beep, which allow blindfolded players to fully engage in the game. All players, regardless of visual ability or disability, must wear blindfolds to even the playing field.
The community event is brought to Lubbock by Alström Angels, a Lubbock-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children diagnosed with Alström Syndrome. The charity focuses on raising funds for medical research and increasing awareness of the rare disease. Alström Syndrome is a genetic disease that affects children with complete blindness, deafness, type 2 diabetes, kidney and liver failure, congestive heart failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
“Because childhood blindness is such a big part of Alström Syndrome, the BEEPball Tournament is a great way for us to raise awareness for all blind and vision impaired children and adults,” said Cassie Johnston, co-founder and executive director of Alström Angels. “I can’t think of a better way to raise awareness for a disability than to let someone experience it.”
“We thought this tournament would be an excellent team building activity for our staff & colleagues to do together,” said Tiffany Jobe, RN with Beyond Faith Homecare, who has a BEEPball team playing in the tournament. “We have had a couple of practices and already realized the challenges of being blindfolded. This is going to be a fun event and everyone should come support the cause and cheer on the teams!”
Teams playing in the 4th Annual BEEPball Tournament range from gymnastics teams, cheerleading squads, occupational and physical therapists, families, existing baseball teams, civic organizations and one team from Abilene who plays in the National Beepball League.
The 4th Annual Alström Angels BEEPball Tournament will be held July 14 and 15 on the Green Quad at the Lubbock Youth Sports Complex located at FM 1585 and Milwaukee Ave and is free for everyone to attend. Opening ceremonies are at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, July 14, and games are played form 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on both days. There is no charge for spectators to attend the tournament.
Bracket updates can be found at http://www.lubbockbeepball.org/tournament-brackets.html. For more information about how the game of Beep Baseball is played visit: lubbockbeepball.org.
About Alström Angels
Alström Angels is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit charity dedicated to raising funds for Alström Syndrome research, improving family support for those affected, and increasing awareness of the rare disease among the general public and medical communities.
Contact: Cassie Johnston
Office: (806) 701-5290
Cell: (806) 786-4903
Email: cassie@alstromangels.org
www.alstromangels.org