Team Italy competes in WBSC Blind Baseball International Cup

Team Italy competes in WBSC Blind Baseball International Cup
05/08/2022
Italy is among six countries participating in the inaugural WBSC Blind Baseball International Cup in Beek, the Netherlands on August 20 and 21, 2022

The Blind Baseball International Cup is the first-ever blind baseball event sanctioned by the WBSC. The championship trophy and medals will have the name of the tournament and the inscription “Cup Champions” in both printed and braille text. The first edition of the international event will be held in Beek, the Netherlands on August 20 and 21, 2022.

Host the Netherlands will be joined by Germany and USA in Group A. Team Italy will compete in Group B with France and Great Britain. All games will be played for five innings. The top two finishers in each group will advance to the semifinals, and the winners of those games will clash for the WBSC Blind Baseball International Cup title. The opening round and the semifinals will take place on Saturday, August 20, 2022.  The bronze medal game and the championship final will follow on Sunday, August, 21, 2022.

BLIND BASEBALL INTERNATIONAL CUP SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

AIBXC, THE GAME AND THE RULES IN ENGLISH

The WBSC in association with AIBXC, the Italian Blind Baseball Association, are lobbying to have the sport recognized by the International Paralympic Committee. AIBXC founded the first national blind baseball league in Italy. The organization now promotes the discipline worldwide. The AIBXC in conjunction with the Dutch Federation KNBSB are providing the technical management of the event as well as the equipment and qualified personnel.

Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS) is also supporting the tournament by providing all the scorers and umpires as well as two Italian team selections that will play a demonstration game on Saturday, August 20, 2022 at 6:30 pm (local time).

Below is the list of players called up and the technical staff of the Italian national team:

LAST NAME FIRST NAME CLUB AFFILIATION YEAR OF BIRTH POSITION
PLAYER        
AZZARO GIACOMO Roma All Blinds 1996 DEFENDER SEEING
BONOMO GIANGIACOMO Umbria Redskins 1971 IF
DEDAJ ARJOLA Thunder's 5 Milano 1981 OF
DEL CANTO ANTONIO Fiorentina BXC 1982 OF
DIANE SALIOU Leonessa Brescia 2003 OF
GHULAM SARWAR Leonessa Brescia 1985 IF
GIRELLI JUAN DAVID Thunder's 5 Milano 2003 OF
MENONI BARBARA Leonessa Brescia 1977 OF
NAPOLI         GIORGIO Fortitudo Bologna WS 1983 IF
OLIVERI DANNY Umbria Redskins 1990 IF
PARRAVANO LUCA Lampi Milano 1970 OF
RADDIRI RICHARD I Patrini Malnate 2001 OF
RINALDI DENNY Blind Fighters 1995 OF
ROSAFIO GIUSEPPE I Patrini Malnate 1982 IF
         
COACHES  
AZZARO FABIO MANAGER
ARGENTIERI ANGEL Fortitudo Bologna WS COACH
BIANCHI MICHELE Leonessa Brescia COACH
CHIESA ADRIANO Thunder's 5 Milano COACH
CORAZZA MARCO Roma All Blinds COACH
DI GIULIO ILARIA Fiorentina BXC COACH
LANZARINI LAURO Fortitudo Bologna WS COACH

Below is the list of Italian Umpires and Scorers as well as the AIBxC staff members who will participate in the event:

LAST NAME FIRST NAME DRA/DRC ROLE
UMPIRES      
PASQUALI CORRADO Marche UMPIRE DIRECTOR
ALBERTON CRISTINA Lombardia  
CASIRAGHI BIANCAMARIA Lombardia  
TROMBONI ROBERTA Sardegna  
VARGIU GIOVANNI MARTINO Sardegna  
       
SCORERS  
MELI ALESSANDRO Emilia-Romagna SCORERS DIRECTOR
LUCIANI LUCIANO Marche  
CARLETTI ALBERTO Lazio STATISTICS
       
AIBXC STAFF      
MAZZANTI ALBERTO PRESIDENT
MALAGUTI STEFANO DIRECTOR
BRANDI PRISCILLA ASSISTANT
TREVISAN EVA ASSISTANT

Forza #Italia!

by Roberto Angotti

(Photo of the Blind Baseball International Cup medals that will be awarded courtesy of WBSC)