FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 17, 2023
 

NATIONAL BEEP BASEBALL TOURNAMENT COMING TO ST. LOUIS THIS JUNE 

Beep Baseball is an adaptive sport for individuals with low or no vision  

ST. LOUIS, MO. – Local nonprofit, MindsEye, is excited to host the Gateway Beep Baseball Regional Tournament in partnership with Lighthouse for the Blind – St. Louis this summer. Teams across the country will descend on St. Louis July 1-2 to join the festivities alongside the local team, the Gateway Archers. The Austin Blackhawks, Indy Edge, Indy Thunder, Atlanta Chaos, Oklahoma Lookouts, Chicago Comets, and Houston Hurricanes will be in attendance. The national tournament will occur at the SLYSA Soccer Complex at 3901 Huster Rd, St. Charles, MO 63301. 

Beep Baseball, also known as BeepBall, was invented in the 1960s for people who are blind or partially sighted. Players are guided by sound, not sight – the sound of the beeping ball, buzzing bases, and cues from the pitcher. All BeepBall athletes are blindfolded except for the sighted pitcher and outfield spotters providing the unique opportunity for people of all visual abilities to play together. 

The tournament will include 15 games throughout the weekend, with the championship game on Sunday, July 2. The full tournament schedule is below:

Saturday, July 1 –  

  • Opening Ceremonies at 8:10 a.m. on Field 12: Welcome, First Pitch, National Anthem performed by Holly Connor 
  • 8:30 a.m. Games: Gateway vs. Houston, Austin vs. Oklahoma, Indy Thunder vs. Atlanta, Indy Edge vs. Chicago  
  • 11:30 a.m. Games: Gateway vs. Oklahoma, Austin vs. Houston, Atlanta vs. Indy Edge, Chicago vs. Indy Thunder  
  • 2:45 p.m. Games: Gateway vs. Austin, Oklahoma vs. Houston, Thunder vs. Edge, Chicago vs. Atlanta 

Sunday, July 2 – 

  • 8:15 a.m. Placement Games: 3rd Place Game, 5th Place Game, 7th Place Game
  • 8:45 a.m. Championship Game  (Awards presented immediately after)

On Friday, June 30, MindsEye will host events for the players and community ahead of the tournament. A Beep Baseball clinic is available from 3:30-5 p.m. at SLYSA for children ages eight to 18. The clinic will teach various aspects of the sport from veteran players of the National Beep Baseball Association (NBBA). For more information or to register, email Mike Curtis at mcurtis@mindseyeradio.org

Following the clinic, at 6 p.m., the community is invited to the debut game of the newly formed all-women’s Beepball team called the Sirens. Most of the players and volunteers on the team are from the Missouri region but were not formed in time for the official tournament. The Sirens will take on a combined team of players from the various teams participating in the regional tournament.

Sponsorships

This tournament is possible thanks to the following community partners: Lighthouse for the Blind – St. Louis, United Way of Greater St. Louis, St. Louis Youth Soccer Association (SLYSA), and the St. Louis Cardinals. The tournament is currently seeking additional sponsors for the event. A packet with more details is linked below. To become a sponsor or for more information, contact Laura Foughty at lfoughty@mindseyeradio.org

Volunteers

A large number of volunteers are needed for this event. We are looking to fill a variety of volunteer positions. Signup using our new Civic Champs volunteer page. Check out the links to each tournament day below to see how you can help. Contact Mike Curtis at mcurtis@mindseyeradio.org with questions.

Audio Description

Players arriving early for the tournament are invited to attend the St. Louis Cardinals vs. Houston Astros game on June 29 or the St. Louis CITY SC vs. Colorado match on July 2, as MindsEye will provide live Audio Description at both events. To learn more about Audio Description or to request this service*, visit MindsEyeRadio.org/Programs. *Requesting this service does not purchase a ticket to the game. Lighthouse for the Blind – St. Louis generously offers to pay half the price of a ticket for a legally blind individual and their companion for Described Cardinals games. For more information or to purchase a ticket, please contact Angie Yorke at 314-423-4333 x132 at least two weeks before game day. For all other ticket purchases, please visit www.mlb.com/cardinals or https://www.stlcitysc.com/tickets/.

For more information about the Gateway Beep Baseball Regional Tournament, visit MindsEyeRadio.org or follow the Gateway Archers/MindsEye Adaptive Athletics at www.facebook.com/thegatewayarchers. 

Banner: Gateway BeepBall Regional, Co-Hosts MindsEye and Lighthouse for the Blind - St. Louis, Programming Sponsor Ameren llinois, United Way of Greater St. Louis Safety Net Member Agency
Banner: Field Sponsors, Mid-America Transplant, Concord Village Lions, St. Louis Cardinals, Cane's, Sugarfire
Banner: Streaming Sponsors, Up Sack It, Mascoutah Noon Lions, Hoffman and Slocomb, LLC, Excel Pluming Inc.

About the Gateway Archers 

MindsEye founded the Gateway Archers in 2020. The team of 12 is comprised chiefly of home-grown players from across St. Louis and the Metro East. They are a nationally competitive team participating in the Beep Baseball World Series hosted by the National Beep Baseball Association. This year’s World Series will be held in Norman, Oklahoma, at the beginning of August.

About MindsEye 

The nonprofit MindsEye strives to build a more inclusive community by translating vision into audio for individuals who are blind or have low vision. The Broadcast Information Program provides listeners access to long-form journalism and local news. The Audio Description Program enables every person who attends a theatre production or museum exhibit the chance to enjoy a rewarding experience. The Adaptive Athletics Program raises awareness and provides educational and competitive opportunities for athletes who are blind or partially sighted. For more information, visit MindsEyeRadio.org.

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Media Contact: Laura Foughty – Development and Communications Coordinator, lfoughty@mindseyeradio.org | 618-394-6221 

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