Blind athletes can swing big on Philly's 'Beep Baseball' Team

Matteo Iadonisi Image
Saturday, February 3, 2024
Blind athletes can swing big on Philly's 'Beep Baseball' Team
"It's been the best thing I've ever done in my entire life," said John Margist, a baseball player who started losing his vision at age 14.

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- "It's hard as an individual who used to see accepting that you're now blind and trying these adaptive sports," said John Margist. "But it's been the best thing I've ever done in my entire life."

Margist has been a member of the Philadelphia Fire Beep Baseball Team for about 10 years. The team is part of the National Beep Baseball Association.

As the name describes, the sport incorporates a beeping baseball to help fielders find the ball. Batters are aided with audio cues by a pitcher who plays on the same team. After getting a hit, the batter must run to one of two buzzing bases before their ball is fielded. It's a race that results in an out or a run.

The Philadelphia Fire team practiced this morning at South Philadelphia Sports Training in order to prepare for the spring and summer season.

To hear stories from players in their own words, watch the video above.

To learn more about Philadelphia Fire and how to get involved, visit their Facebook page.

RELATED: Philly-area vintage baseball teams play like it's the 1800s

Local baseball fanatics gear up several times per year to relive the "old" ball game in the Greater Philadelphia Area.