Gateway Archers

How did you get involved with BeepBall?

“While working at the Lighthouse, I kept hearing about how much fun BeepBall was from some of the guys who were participating in the yearly MindsEye tournaments. One year, II was asked to join the Lighthouse team, so I gave it a shot. I did okay the first year and have improved a little each year since. This year, I’m excited to take the text step by joining the Archers, hoping to keep getting better and to become an Impact player on the team.”

How did you get involved with BeepBall?

“I think the very first time I played was with Lighthouse for the Blind – St. Louis at a MindsEye tournament and liked the competitive nature of it and then went on to play in the Beep Baseball World Series for 5 years.”

How did you get involved with BeepBall?

“My mom (Kim Blumenthal) got me involved when she started playing more. I was 7 when I started to help her. I’ve been playing since then and have been growing my game.”

How did you get involved with BeepBall?

” I have known about it for a long time. I just never had an opportunity to play much. Back in 2008, I was part of a program event for Lighthouse and Society that took place at the Grizzlies stadium. It took me a few tries, but after a couple swings, I smacked a ball past 3rd base. Then I’ve played in two MindsEye Tournaments.”

How did you get involved with BeepBall?

“I first heard about BeepBall from my brother Kyle. Then I got to try it out when MindsEye did a demonstration at Webster University when I attended. Then I started playing in MIndsEye’s Ultimate BeepBall Tournaments with my brother and friends”

How did you get involved with BeepBall?

“I first heard about it from a few people at Lighthouse for the Blind – St. Louis when I started working there. I got invited to practice and play for the Lighthouse team at the MindsEye tournaments. I found out I was pretty good at it and I loved playing again. I won the MVP of that tournament in 2013.”

How did you get involved with BeepBall?

“When I was 16, when I still had good vision, I was presented with an Eagle Scout project in which we made 24 sets of BeepBall bases that then got shipped to 5 different continents. Over the years my vision worsened. I didn’t actually get a chance to play or hear about BeepBall again until I moved to St. Louis and was invited to play at a MindsEye tournament in 2017.”

How did you get involved with BeepBall?

“One Summer I attended a vocational training program for the blind and visually impaired. There I met a friend who told me about BeepBall and how fun and competitive it was. He encouraged me to try it and while I was hesitant at first, I eventually went to a practice, and now I’ve played every summer in the Beep Baseball World Series for the past 10 years.”

How did you get involved with BeepBall?

“I went to a Paralympic activities day at Missouri School for the Blind and heard about BeepBall there. I tried it out and I really enjoyed playing.”

How did you get involved with BeepBall?

“I got involved with BeepBall because a friend told me about it. I always had a passion to play in sports and was always enthusiastic about it and it kept me active. I also enjoy the competition!”

How did you get involved with BeepBall?

“When I was at the Colorado center for the blind, my first roommate who was from the Massachusetts area started telling me about baseball for the blind. With me being an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan, and playing in my youth before losing my sight, I was all over it when he told me that there was a team in Colorado. He had contacted them and was going to the practice and asked me if I wanted to go. Once I go out there and started to run freely to the bases without restrictions, swinging a bat again, making contact with my first hit, and fielding my first ball, I was hooked. I knew at that point I would do anything to play BeepBall for as long as I could.”

How did you get involved with BeepBall?

“I knew of BeepBall in High School, but never really played. I had a friend who ran the Wichita Sonics Beep Baseball team and I was invited to play for them in 2012 and 2013. I would travel from Kansas City to attend weekend practices and compete in tournaments. I moved to St. Louis in 2016 and wanted to play again.”

How did you get involved with BeepBall?

“My friend Jason (Frazier) asked me to help at some of the MindsEye BeepBall tournaments as an umpire in 2012 and I have been helping every year since.”

Contact Mike for questions or more information about the Gateway Archers.

Mike is SafeSport Certified and has Certificate of Completion for Concussion in Sports by the CDC and NFHS.