WBSC publishes Blind Baseball Rulebook

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) released the Blind Baseball Rulebook, a 75-page manual illustrated with diagrams.

The Rule Book is based on the game developed by the late Alfredo Meli, a former Italian Baseball National Team player, for the Italian Blind Baseball Association (AIBxC, a WBSC Associate Member) and showcased for the first time on October 16, 1994, in Casalecchio di Reno near Bologna.

The field of play goes from the defensive second base bag to the left-field foul line. Runners must go beyond the first base bag, a rubber-covered metallic square with a regulation size of 38x38 cm. It is attached to the ground in its original position but is only a transit base, and it can have an electronic signal sound inside. The batter/runner's goal is to reach second base.

The official ball is a Rubber ProA Ball, properly modified with five holes of 16 millimetres and one hole of 18 millimetres, placed eccentrically and containing two nickel-plated brass bells 24 x 21 millimetres.

Players can use any baseball or softball wood, aluminium or composite bat approved by the WBSC.

The action begins when the batter tosses the ball to himself or herself and tries to hit it. The game develops like any other baseball game.

The offensive second base is in the same position as the baseball's original second base.
The following batters will try to advance the runner from second to third or home, a 3.96-metre (almost 13 feet( target line. The centre is on the regular home plate. The homerun area is the whole field area starting from the arc with a radius of 68,60 metres (225 feet) measured from the tip of the home plate and marked by the out-of-bounds cones.

The two defensive teams are made of five blind players and a sighted defensive player, who positions herself/himself on the defensive second base and catches the throws of the visually impaired fielders to eliminate runners. She/he is not allowed to bat. The defensive team is supported by one assistant (MA mound assistant) who, after each phase of the game, gives indications to reposition fielders so they can be ready to play the next batted ball. Usually, she/he positions herself/himself in the internal right foul zone by the mound.

The offensive team has three assistants. Two of them (SA second base assistant and TA third base assistant) are provided with clappers and positioned near second and third base. They allow the runners to identify the bases and attempt to earn them consequently. The other positions himself/herself behind home plate, assisting the runner from third base and the batter in the batter’s box.

The umpiring crew includes the first base umpire, the second base umpire, the third base umpire, and the home run umpire. Their task is to control the game and, if necessary, assist players who risk putting themselves in physical danger.

The tie-break rule applies to all games, with the exception of the final game of any competition, where everything continues as usual. Starting from the first extra inning (and every subsequent necessary inning), each team will start with runners on second and third base and zero out. The batting order of each subsequent inning (including the first tie-break inning) will be established depending on how the previous inning ended.

The Rulebook has been elaborated to guarantee total safety for athletes at every moment of the game.

The Blind Baseball International Cup tournament rules are based on the Rulebook and are available in English and Spanish.

Nine teams divided into two groups will participate in the WBSC Blind Baseball International Cup, which will be held from September 27 to 29 at the National Baseball and Softball Complex at Farnham Park in Buckinghamshire, England, just outside London. Group A features hosts Great Britain, the United States, Pakistan, and  Tanzania, while Group B includes Cuba, China, Hungary, Italy, and the Netherlands.

The first two days of competition will see the participants complete the opening round.

The semifinals will see the second-ranked team in Group B play the top-ranked team in Group A, while the other semifinal will feature the second-ranked team in Group A against the top-ranked team in Group B.

Following the semifinals, the tournament will conclude with the bronze medal game, the gold medal game and a closing ceremony.