NYC Blind and Low Vision Athletes Compete in 2024 Blind Baseball International Cup

Posted by Able News
Written by Jeremy Morak

The United States was one of eight countries represented at the second annual World Blind Baseball International Cup this past September. The newly formed tournament that began in 2022, hosted by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), took place at Farnham Park in Buckinghamshire, England.

An adaptation of traditional baseball, Blind Baseball utilizes audible cues in the ball and at the bases to assist blind and visually impaired athletes. The sport ensures an even playing field for players with varying degrees of vision impairment by requiring everyone to be fully blindfolded whenever they are on the field — including batting, running and fielding.

Team USA is comprised of players from three local New York City teams: the Lighthouse Guild Lightning, Harlem Jazz, and New York Lions. After the U.S. National Team secured a bronze medal in the first-ever WBSC Blind Baseball Cup in 2022, this year’s team was poised to build on its success. “I spent the time between earning a bronze medal and this tournament really training hard and spreading awareness nationally about this sport. We dedicated our team to ensuring practices were efficient and players were as prepared as possible,” said 2024 Co-Captain and Harlem resident Kiana Glanton. “Our league, the U.S. Blind Baseball Association, in partnership with Lighthouse Guild, hosted eight clinics in the past two years spanning from New York City, Orlando, Florida, and even in Bologna, Italy, aimed at elevating our skill level while also introducing the sport to new athletes.”

As popularity has continued to grow for the sport since the 2022 tournament, the level of competition undeniably increased at this year’s Cup. The U.S. team went a respectable 2-2 in their four games and had an opportunity to compete in the medal rounds. Nevertheless, they lost a nail-biting back-and-forth game to Great Britain 7-6, ending their hopes this year. As Glanton reflected on the experience, “I watched our team learn to trust each other and trust our ability in a way that we had not experienced before. If our performance was based off of energy and intent, we would have taken home the gold. However, the heartbreaking loss was attributed to a lack of proper facilities and consistent training in the United States.”

This year’s gold medal winner was Team Cuba, who edged out the reigning champions from Italy 2-1 in a thrilling championship match. The United States placed fifth out of eight after defeating Team China 7-1. While the coaches and players of Team USA were disappointed with the outcome, Glanton is confident and excited about the future of Blind Baseball as it grows in the United States. Glanton added, “It’s tough to have not placed higher, but the United States has only gotten hungrier to improve. Our team represents so much more than the blind community. We represent athletes who have chosen to work hard and never give up.”

For more information about the 2024 WBSC Blind Baseball International Cup, visit: https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2024-blind-baseball-international-cup/home