MSOE 'Beep Baseball,' visually impaired kids take diamond

MILWAUKEE - Dozens of kids played America's pastime Thursday, but instead of keeping their eyes on the ball – they kept their ears on it. The Milwaukee School of Engineering's "Beep Baseball" event gave kids with visual impairments the chance to hit a home run. 

More than 50 young people took part on a diamond designed for players who rely on sound more than sight. The ball buzzes and the bases beep, allowing them to hear everything instead of using visual cues.

"You get to hear everything, when a ball is hit, then you hear the base, then you hear the ball," said 16-year-old Bryce Summer.

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Summer has been visually impaired since he was about 2 months old.

"My eyes were like a normal baby, then something happened, and the retinas deteriorated," he said.

Bryce Summer plays Beep Baseball at MSOE

Instead of focusing on what he couldn't do, Summer has spent the past eight years playing Beep Baseball to show what he can do. 

"Nobody understands I can't see, how different it is for you," said Summer. "All these people understand here."

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Eleanna Rivera Revas, 8, shares a similar sentiment: "It means spending more time together and making new friends."

"Having her feel included, and the same as other typical kids – since she's not typical able," said Ana Revas, Eleanna's mother.

Beep Baseball at MSOE

Inclusivity is what organizers and CEO Jaclyn Borchardt from Vision Forward said the event is all about. 

"It's really around helping the kids see what is possible," Borchardt said.

Borchardt believes it starts with empowering kids to hit it out of the park.