Sports 101: Beep Baseball Basics — How Beatball Works, Why It Matters, and How to Get Involved

Episode Summary

Navigating Life with Vision Loss launches a new sports series—covering everything from beginner-friendly fitness routines to extreme sports—and kicks things off with beep baseball (often called “beepball”), an adaptive version of baseball designed for blind and low-vision athletes.

Guest Ethan Johnston shares his background (growing up as the only blind kid in a small Missouri town, originally from Ethiopia) and explains how sports and music became “therapy” for him. He walks listeners through how beep baseball works—key rule differences from traditional baseball, defensive positioning, the role of a sighted pitcher and spotters, why everyone wears blindfolds for fairness, and how outs/runs are determined.

The conversation also explores confidence-building for new players, practice drills, the physical intensity of the sport, travel and camaraderie, the season schedule (including tournaments and the “World Series” style championship), equipment costs, and concrete first steps for getting involved—either as a player or as a sighted volunteer (pitcher/spotter).

Contact Info

Getting involved (as shared in the episode):

• Team listings + schedule: NBBA.org (as referenced in the conversation)
• To watch games: search YouTube/Facebook Live for “beep baseball” + your nearest team name (examples mentioned: “Gateway Archers”)

Aftersight (show network):

• Email: [e-mail]
• Phone: [phone]

Producer credit:

• Produced by Jonathan Price (Aftersight)

Show Credits

• Podcast: Navigating Life with Vision Loss (Aftersight Original)
• Host: Kim Wardlow
• Guest: Ethan Johnston
• Producer: Jonathan Price

Chapter Markers

• 00:00 — Welcome + sports series kickoff
• 02:23 — Ethan’s background + how he found beep baseball in Colorado
• 04:48 — How the game works: two bases, zones, defense setup
• 07:15 — Pitcher/batter on same team + strikes/innings + mercy-rule talk
• 09:40 — Safety + beeping ball + why you don’t “throw to first”
• 12:02 — Blindfolds + spotters + communication and lane integrity
• 14:14 — How an out is made + close calls + volunteer officiating
• 16:35 — Home run rules + highlight plays + rare catches/double plays
• 19:00 — Building confidence for new players + running to the correct base
• 21:20 — Practice drills + timing + why hitting in the air matters
• 23:20 — Season timeline + training/conditioning routines
• 25:45 — Travel, fundraising, and team camaraderie
• 27:47 — Youth participation + age realities + lack of “minor league”
• 30:12 — Equipment costs + durability (balls/bases)
• 32:38 — How to join: NBBA.org + joining a nearby team even out-of-state
• 34:48 — Longevity in the sport + older players still producing
• 36:22 — Favorite positions + hardest skill (don’t listen to the ball)
• 38:44 — Veteran mindset + unforgettable moments
• 40:52 — How to attend/watch games + final thoughts
• 43:09 — Aftersight show plug + closing remarks

• (00:00) - Tempo: 120.0