Sept. 1, 2023 — The Lighthouse Guild has announced the launch of Lighthouse Guild Lightening, a blind baseball team based in New York. The official announcement came at a free blind baseball clinic, which saw more than 100 attendees, sponsored by the Lighthouse Guild and the U.S. Blind Baseball Association in Central Park on Aug. 27.
 
“Sports can be a healthy way to build confidence and have fun,” says Calvin W. Roberts, M.D., president and CEO of Lighthouse Guild. “The launch of Lighthouse Guild Lightning will help raise awareness not only about the sport of adaptive blind baseball but also about vision health in sports and the importance of individuals who are visually impaired staying active.”
 
Lighthouse Guild Lightening will be a participating member of the U.S. Blind Baseball Association (USBBA), a nonprofit established earlier this year by Hall of Fame college baseball coach Donald Landolphi and Ed Plumacher. Contracted by Associazone Italiana Baseball Giocato Da Ciechi, the international governing body for blind baseball, USBBA is dedicated to the development, management, regulation, and promotion of blind baseball teams, players, coaches, volunteers, and umpires in the U.S.
 
Blind baseball requires each player to wear a blindfold to ensure equal ability despite varying degrees of visual impairment. Players rely on sounds, including bells inside the ball and an electronic horn so base runners can navigate the diamond, and fielders communicate with their teammates to help locate the ball once it’s in play.
 
“I am excited to be a member of the Lighthouse Guild Lightning blind baseball team,” says team member Carolina Vollo. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to participate in sports and have camaraderie with others who love this sport. I look forward to competing with teams around the world and increasing awareness of blind baseball and vision loss.”
 
For more information: lighthouseguild.org.