07 May Beep Baseball brings inclusion, competition in East Texas

Beep Baseball is an adaptive version of America’s pastime, specifically designed for blind and visually impaired athletes.

According to the Baseball Hall of Fame, the game began in 1964 when Charles Fairbanks, a telephone engineer in Colorado, developed the first beeping ball. It wasn’t until a decade later — after some design refinements — that the sport gained traction. In 1976, the NBBA was founded, and the first World Series was held. Since then, 35 teams around the world have been formed, including Tyler’s very own Tyler Tigers.

“It was important to start this sport because everyone needs the opportunity to play sports and be athletic,” Hopkins said. “They can run freely. They can hit a baseball. They can field. They can play this sport.”

Locally, the Tyler Tigers have been part of that tradition since 1994. One of their founding players, Larry Reed, has been playing for 31 years and is currently the club’s president.

“I always wanted to play sports but I never had an opportunity to because of my vision,” he said. “There weren’t any sports in my hometown that I could play.”

Reed lost his eyesight at age 7 due to multiple complications, including glaucoma and a detached retina. “I had all kinds of things go wrong,” he said. “But I kept going strong. I’m independent and I get to play baseball. I get to travel and meet new people.”

So how does the game work? The ball emits a beeping sound, allowing batters and fielders to track it by ear. Batters get up to four swings to hit the ball and, once contact is made, they sprint toward one of two buzzing bases — foam pillars resembling tackling dummies. If they reach the base before a fielder can locate and secure the still-beeping ball, it’s a run. All players, except the pitcher and catcher, wear blindfolds to level the playing field, and sighted spotters assist with verbal cues.

“The fielders are out in the field and they communicate with each other trying to find the ball, so they’re moving fast,” Hopkins said. “They’re talking to each other because they want to make it happen.”

Specialized equipment is key to the game: a beeping baseball (slightly larger than a regular softball), buzzing foam bases, blindfolds, softball bats, and charging equipment to power the beeping components. These tools make the game accessible and competitive for all involved.

Events like these help introduce more youth to the sport, as Region 7 ESC partners with East Texas schools to ensure students with visual impairments have access to meaningful educational and recreational experiences.

“Our job is to provide support to the schools and the education of their students who have vision impairments,” said Lannette Burlingame, a Special Education Specialist in the area of Visual Impairment at Region 7 ESC. “We want our students to understand that they can play sports too.”

Region 7 ESC supports this mission in part through the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC), a Texas-required framework that helps students with visual impairments build skills in areas beyond academics — like recreation, leisure, and social interaction. Beep Baseball offers a unique opportunity to develop those skills in a fun, inclusive setting.

“A lot of us watched a baseball game as a child before we ever received instructions, so there was already learning taking place,” Burlingame said. “Well, if you can’t see, then you don’t pick up on that incidental learning that happens visually… so, that’s why the direct instruction has to happen and that’s what today is about — direct instruction. In this sport, they can have that experience and also have fun.”

Burlingame said the sport provides opportunities for all.

“I think it’s neat to be able to raise awareness so people understand they shouldn’t be limited by anything,” Burlingame said. “Whether they are a child or an adult, there are opportunities to be active and independent and build their confidence so they can make their dreams come true. That’s what this is all about.”

Players from the Union Grove baseball team and their coach volunteered to assist with Monday’s game.

As the season gets underway, the Tyler Tigers are recruiting for players (as young as 12 years of age), as well as volunteers for the field. For more information, contact Reed at 903-714-2697 or email lwreed55@gmail.com.