BOSTON — Bravery. It comes in all shapes and sizes. Among the bravest, in my opinion, are those individuals who are forced to live their lives visually impaired. Sight is a precious thing, and not having it is one of the cruelest things you could inflict on any human being. Yet, over the years so many incredible techniques and equipment have been devised and developed to allow the visually impaired community to do things that those of us with sight take for granted. One of those things is the opportunity to play the great sport of baseball, more commonly known to the visually impaired community as Beep Baseball.
Some aspects of beep baseball are like the game played by major leaguers at Fenway Park. There are bases, bats, and balls. However, the ball is bigger, and it beeps to allow fielders to track it by sound. There are only two bases, and to score a run a batter must put the ball into play and reach the base before a fielder can secure it. If the fielder controls the ball before the runner reaches base, it’s an out. Batters know where to run by the tone emitted from the base.
The whole time, all players — batters and fielders, alike — are blindfolded so they cannot see anything.
The beep baseball field has 12 zones, six on the left and six on the right. The coaches can give some guidance, but can only say one word: the zone number.
Watertown has become the home training spot for the Boston Renegades, a beep baseball team and one of the participants (Boston Strong the other team) in Sunday’s game at Fenway Park, the first-ever Beep game to be played at the historic ballyard. The team marked its 25th anniversary in 2025, and for most of that time Watertown has been its home. Each Sunday, the Renegades take the field at Filippello Park to prepare for upcoming tournaments, including the NBBA Beep Baseball World Series.
Bryan Grillo is one of many volunteers on the Boston Renegades coaching staff- and one of its longest tenured. He started volunteering back in 2003. Speaking with him on the field prior to the game, it was not hard to figure out just how special this Fenway experience was for players and coaches alike.
“It means a lot. I mean, this is, you know, this is such an iconic ballpark,” Grillo said. “It’s my favorite ballpark. And I’m sure it’s a lot of people’s favorite ballparks and it’s the oldest in major so it’s amazing to be here. We can’t thank the Red Sox enough for inviting us back.”
The Renegades were supposed to play their first-ever game at Fenway Park in 2025, but rained ruined their chance. No such problem on Sunday, April 12. The outfield, where the game was played (home plate was right in front of the warning track in centerfield, aligned with the second base bag of the Red Sox infield) was sun-splashed and comfortable, in the mid-50s at game time.
“For the players and coaches, on a beautiful day like today, being here with family and friends on the Fenway grass to showcase the abilities of blind and vision impaired athletes, you know, really playing their sport of beep ball in front of what’s going to be, you know, I think 500 people and is simply excellent,” Grillo said, before the game.
Guy Zuccarello first joined the Renegades in 2001, and said while he isn’t the oldest player, he believes he is the longest tenured one.
“It’s just so much fun. It’s addicting. It’s an external motivation to stay active and do something for exercise,” Zuccarello said. “It challenges me. It’s just awesome being part of the team, being part of a group — and that camaraderie. It’s a family as much as it is a team.”
About today’s opportunity, Grillo says “I think it’s an opportunity to really showcase the abilities that blind and vision impaired athletes have.”
“We always say there’s ability within the word disability and I think they’re going to see some really amazing athletes playing, hitting, running and fielding today, and I think that’s the most important thing,” he said.
“There’s an incredibly competitive group out there playing, and we’ve got a great community of supporters, and we want people to learn more about our sport.”
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of this organization, and through the generosity of the Association of Blind Citizens, which is our principal sponsor, we get funding from very generous donors along with grants.”
The Renegades’ roster is made up of players, as well as a large number of coaches. Along with helping train the players, during games the coaches are in the field serving as the eyes of the fielders. Based on tone and inflection, how you say the number conveys information: whether it’s in the air, whether it’s a hard hit, whether it’s in front of you, Grillo said. “So with different ways of conveying information, just by that one number, because that’s all you can say.”
Hunter Weissman works for the Watertown Recreation Department. Now in his mid 20’s, Hunter started volunteering as a coach when he was 11 years old. “My mom got me into it when she first volunteered. She wanted to teach me the value of volunteering. My brother volunteers, my sister volunteers. So it’s a family thing.”
Hunter’s uncle is Rob Weissman, the Renegades Head Coach. He has been volunteering with the Renegades for a very long time. “He introduced me to the game when I was, like, five years old,” Hunter said. “We have some guys that are totally blind, and we have some people who have partial sight and peripherals. It’s really an amazing mix of amazing people on this team. So it’s truly incredible. It’s one of the greatest experiences of my life.”
As for what this Fenway experience means to Hunter’s way of thinking?
“It’s an unbelievable, unbelievable experience. The players being able to say that they scored a run at Fenway Park, some of them for the very first time. I think it’s the specialist of special moments for them and for our team as a whole, to be able to showcase to the city and to those watching at home. What we can do — well, you know, it’s a really special and unforgettable day.”
The Renegades won Sunday’s game, but it almost didn’t matter. Both team’s participants were winners on this day, and every day, for that matter, as they navigate life sight impaired. I dare you to go out in the yard some day, blindfold yourself, have someone pitch to you from 10 feet away. You will quickly learn how challenging it is to hit the ball.
The cliche is “it’s just a game,” but on this day it was more than just a game. It was a revelation. It was a statement. It was beating the odds. It was, in a word, inspirational.
Congratulations to the participants and volunteers for sharing their special day with all of us!
(Watertown News Editor Charlie Breitrose contributed to this article with material from a previous story on the Renegades)