The blind baseball team Lampi Milano ASDtogether with Milano 1946 (Milan baseball team) and ai Thunder’s five Milano bxc (the city’s other blind baseball team), is working on a project involving the construction of a baseball field for the blind and a softball field aiming to redevelop a disused eleven-a-side football field at the Marie Curie Institute of Milan.
Baseball for the blind in Milan
The project is very ambitious: it would be of the world’s first baseball field for the blind and it would be a great milestone for the movement since it would make the team more autonomous and independent for training and matches and would constitute a model of self-determination that could become a point of reference for the world of Paralympic sport. For this sport it is a great opportunity to continue on the path that aims to make blind and visually impaired children grow independently and socially, moreover with the involvement of the Milan 1946 softball team the project is enriched gender equality as an absolutely central theme.
Fundraising and friendly tournament
For the construction of the plant, the Milanese club is organizing, among other initiatives, one fundraising online which will be launch at a friendly tournament that will be played Saturday 26 March at 2 pm at the Kennedy field in Milan. A friendly match will be played between Lampi Milano ASD and Thunder’s five and a mixed team demonstration match with boys and girls from the Milan 1946 first team. To find out more, Milano Sportiva interviewed Giuseppe Allegretta, president of the Lampi Milano ASD baseball team for the blind.
How did this idea come about?
“The idea was born from the need that both us and Milano 46 have to have a pitch that Milan lacks. This opportunity has been created of what it would be the world’s first baseball field for the blind. Currently all the teams play in baseball fields: it would be an absolute novelty in the world for the whole movement that would give so much more visibility and perspectives such as international tournaments in Milan. All this ends in what is the mission of the league to help and involve blind and visually impaired children to grow independently and socially “.
What is baseball for the blind?
“The game was invented by Alfredo Meda. It is very similar to baseball for the able-bodied, but you use a ball with rattles and on the bases there are assistants with paddles. The tricks end here. The role of the pitcher is not foreseen: whoever bats has the ball in his hand. The game fits well and allows you to run in maximum freedom and safety. “
At what point is this project?
“We are in negotiations with the Municipality of Milan and the metropolitan city to have all the concessions starting, between the times of bureaucracy and various obligations. We are at an advanced stage, given that the school has already given its approval and the Municipality also liked the project and asked for further details on the investments we want to make. We hope to unlock everything as soon as possible to start with initiatives and access funds. It would be very nice to start with the 2023 seasonwith the championship starting in April “.
