Blind Baseball celebrates 30 years in Italy

The Rino Veronesi Stadium in Casalecchio di Reno, near Bologna, hosted on October 16, 1994, the first-ever blind baseball game on Italian soil. For the record, Aquilone Empoli Red Sox defeated Bologna White Sox, 15-11.

"We celebrate 30 years of activity in 2024, a year we will remember for the success of the II WBSC Blind Baseball International Cup," stated the Italian Blind Baseball Association (AIBxC, a WBSC Associate Member) in a press release. "Our version of blind baseball comes from an original idea of the late Alfredo Meli. Umberto Calzolari and Alberto Mazzanti took the game where it is now."

Blind Baseball enjoyed a successful season. Hurricane Varese defeated Leonessa Brescia in the final to win the 11-team National League (LIBCI).

Brescia defeated Lampi Milano to win the Italian Cup 2024.

Sesto Fiorentino, near Florence, hosted the All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby, the final events of the 2024 season. Sarwar Ghulam, who starred for Pakistan at the Blind Baseball International Cup, was crowned the best home run hitter for the eighth time. He connected for 15 home runs, overcoming Giuseppe Scanu (13), Radouane El Hachimi (8), Giangiacomo Bonomo (3) and Antonello Lai (2).

East defeated West in the All-Star Game, 20-17.