On summer afternoons, out on the fields of Opti and Broad Ripple Park, men and women celebrate a good hit, sweaty and fatigued, in the midst of baseball practice. But in the game they play, you'll find only two bases and six players (spotters) on the field. Between their sprints to the bases and their bulls-eye hits, it's hardly apparent that all of the players are blind or visually impaired.

Beep Baseball. It's a game based on sound, with an oversized beeping ball tossed underhand style, beeping bases that herald the hitter, and managers who call zones for the outfielders. It is also a national sport. The beeping baseball, created in 1964 by engineers of the Mountain Bell Telephone Company, was the spark for the sport. Since then Beep Ball has exploded. Today there are 25 national teams, ranging from Long Island to Austin, and three international teams, including two in Taiwan, all of them organized by the National Beep Baseball Association (NBBA). Many are unaware that Indianapolis is home to a long-standing Beep ball team. Originally created as the Indianapolis Eagles - the only team in Indiana - it was revived in 2000 and renamed Indy Thunder. It consists of men and women, mostly adult, but some youth from the School for the Blind, all of course, who love the game.

Don't think for a second that beep baseball is any less challenging or competitive than other sports. As player Rob Brown says, "The thrill of victory is the same whether you have a disability or not." Brown has been on the team over twenty years, but still speaks kindly upon his first days on the team. Having lost his eyesight as a teenager, the opportunity to participate in a competitive sport enabled him to enter the, "swing of being, quote, a normal kid, a normal adult." Brown's dedication to the team has been tremendous. He was on the field when Indy Thunder won the 1990 World Series. And between his longevity with the program, his multiple awards of MVP, and his impressive statistics, he will be inducted into the Beep Baseball Hall of Fame. Despite his fame, what he loves most, aside from the thrill of competition, is "being with the guys."

Darnell Booker, President, manager and coach agrees: "It's all about team." He is incredibly proud of Indy Thunder and the success of their season thus far. Already champions of their own tournament, which is held annually in early June at Broad Ripple Park, the team has set out to claim the World Series, held this year in Cleveland, Ohio. While practice and heart will fuel the team, Darnell explains that "sponsorship and volunteers are two things [that] make Beep Ball a success." Darnell wishes to thank the Broad Ripple community for embracing the team and the many sponsors who already support them. He plans to return the favor by including Broad Ripple in their local tournament's official title. Despite their current backing, however, Indy Thunder is still $1,000 short of being able to attend the World Series. The series will be held July 30 to August 5, which leaves only a few weeks to raise money that will cover hotel and gas expenses. The team hopes that members of the Broad Ripple community will invest in their endeavor, either through volunteer work or monetary donations. Those in the community interested in learning more about Beep Baseball and all of Indy Thunder's sponsors are cordially invited to attend the team's end-of-the-year celebration in Opti Park on August 19th from 1-5 in the afternoon - a riling Beep Ball game and cook out included. In the meantime, Darnell Booker may be contacted at darnellbooker@sbcglobal.net. More information about Beep Baseball is available at www.nbba.org. Indy Thunder is a group of enthused athletes and amazing people who focus on their ability rather than their disability. Needless to say, they are an inspiration. Let us, then, through our community's generosity and, perhaps, even our cheers at their World Series, in turn, inspire them.

The 6th Annual Indy Thunder Tournment will be on June 1-3, 2007.

Beep Baseball, developed in mid-sixties by a national organization called Telephone Pioneers of America.