Alternative Baseball

Last updated
Alternative Baseball
AbbreviationABO
FoundedJanuary 5, 2016;8 years ago (2016-01-05)
FounderTaylor C. Duncan
Type501(c)(3) Nonprofit organization
Location
Region
United States
Key people
Taylor C. Duncan (founder/chief executive officer)
Cindy Duncan (secretary/treasurer)
Dr. Roger Garret (chairman of the board)
Floyd Hillman (board member)
Affiliations WBSC Americas [1]
Website alternativebaseball.org

Alternative Baseball, officially Alternative Baseball Organization Inc. (ABO), is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Dallas, Georgia, United States. Providing year-round baseball training, exhibitions, and activities for teens and adults (ages 15+) with autism and other disabilities throughout the United States.

Contents

Founder

In 2016, The idea of Alternative Baseball originated in Dallas, Georgia by Taylor Duncan, a young man on the autism spectrum. Taylor always wanted to play sports growing up, but was often denied opportunities due to the commonly "low perception" of what one with autism can and cannot accomplish. [2]  Duncan said as he got older, there were fewer opportunities to play the sport he loved with coaches deeming his disability as a safety issue. [3]  Duncan believed that once younger people with disabilities graduate from high school, opportunities can completely disappeared and believed that there had to be more services not only to play sports but to continue learning life skills.

The First two teams in Alternative Baseball History Alternative Baseball team based in Dallas, Texas in 2016.jpg
The First two teams in Alternative Baseball History

With Duncan's experiences in baseball and softball across the Southeast region, Taylor decided it was time to give those opportunities to other teens and adults just like him to play in a traditional baseball setting free of judgment. [4] Instead it is used focus on physical and social skills growth through hands-on authentic experience in all practices and games. Some of the players have since taken their skills to apply into other areas in life off the baseball diamond, including in the work field as well.

Determined to create his own path in 2016, Duncan founded the Alternative Baseball Organization. This is a non-profit developmental program that provides teens and adults with autism and other special needs the opportunity to play real baseball under MLB rules and with real competition.

Rules

[5] For his league to be official Duncan needed players who were at least 15 years old and volunteers willing to make competitive games happen for those without other teams close by. Players can have any or no experience in baseball to participate. The baseball games are played using the original version of the Professional Baseball Rules. Many games are played between 7-9 innings. Players pitch and catch behind the plate in Alternative Baseball. With most of the rules figured out Duncan was still missing one thing, field dimensions.

Duncan needed a field for practices and games, a field where the basepaths were 90 feet apart and the pitcher's mound was exactly 60 feet and six inches from home plate. These are the official measurements for the MLB. He needed equipment for his players like helmets and wooden bats. [6] The only adjustment Duncan decided to add was the size of the ball. The ball had to larger and softer to prevent injuries, since this would be a fully player pitch league.

One of the more difficult parts of this league would be finding umpires (baseball referee) that would conduct these rules of the ball for this specific league. This tends to be difficult with the strictness of an umpire and how the game should be "properly play", although it is only the ball that is switched. [7] Duncan would find Umpire Vanderpoel and offered him $50 a game, while the game was only about 2 hours long. Vanderpoel gave Duncan an answer he didn't expect. Rather than charge him the usual $50 per umpire, Vanderpoel said he would provide them for free.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago White Sox</span> Major League Baseball franchise in Chicago, Illinois

The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The club plays its home games at Guaranteed Rate Field, which is located on Chicago's South Side. They are one of two MLB teams based in Chicago, alongside the National League (NL)’s Chicago Cubs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Home run</span> Four-base hit resulting in a run by the batter in baseball

In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run is usually achieved by hitting the ball over the outfield fence between the foul poles without the ball touching the field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strike zone</span> Target zone for a pitched baseball

In baseball, the strike zone is the volume of space through which a pitch must pass in order to be called a strike even if the batter does not swing. The strike zone is defined as the volume of space above home plate and between the batter's knees and the midpoint of their torso. Whether a pitch passes through the zone is decided by an umpire, who is generally positioned behind the catcher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Umpire (baseball)</span> Person charged with officiating a baseball game

In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump. They are also sometimes addressed as blue at lower levels due to the common color of the uniform worn by umpires. In professional baseball, the term blue is seldom used by players or managers, who instead call the umpire by name. Although games were often officiated by a sole umpire in the formative years of the sport, since the turn of the 20th century, officiating has been commonly divided among several umpires, who form the umpiring crew. The position is analogous to that of a referee in many other sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Batted ball</span> In baseball and softball, a pitched ball that is contacted by the batters bat

In the sports of baseball and softball, a batted ball is a pitch that has been contacted by the batter's bat. Batted balls are either fair or foul, and can be characterized as a fly ball, pop-up, line drive, or ground ball. In baseball, a foul ball counts as a strike against the batter, unless there are already two strikes on the batter, with special rules applying to foul tips and foul bunts. Fly balls are those hit in an arcing manner, with pop-ups being a subset of fly balls that do not travel far. Line drives are batted balls hit on a straight line trajectory, while ground balls are hit at a low trajectory, contact the ground shortly after being hit, and then either roll or bounce. Batted balls, especially line drives, can present a hazard to players, umpires, and spectators, as people have been seriously injured or killed after being struck by batted balls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerry Davis (umpire)</span> American baseball umpire (born 1953)

Gerald Sidney Davis is an American former umpire in Major League Baseball. He worked in the National League from 1982 to 1999 and in Major League Baseball from 2000 to 2021. He was promoted to crew chief in 1999. Davis umpired six World Series, nine League Championship Series and eleven League Division Series. He also worked in the All-Star Game four times. Davis wore uniform number 12 throughout his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northwoods League</span> Collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league

The Northwoods League is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league. All players in the league must have NCAA eligibility remaining in order to participate. The league is amateur, and players are not paid, so as to maintain their college eligibility. Graduated senior pitchers are also eligible to play in the Northwoods League. Each team may have four of these players at a time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Injured list</span> List of injured baseball players

In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blocking the plate</span> Baseball technique

In baseball, blocking the plate is a technique performed by a catcher to prevent a runner from scoring. The act of blocking the plate accounted for most of the physical contact in Major League Baseball prior to the 2014 season, when it was outlawed except when the catcher already has possession of the ball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ángel Hernández (umpire)</span> Cuban baseball umpire (born 1961)

Ángel Hernández is a Cuban-American former professional baseball umpire. He worked in the National League from 1991 to 1999 and worked throughout Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2000 until his retirement in May 2024. Hernández was involved in several controversial incidents and was widely criticized by players, coaches, and fans throughout his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Davidson (umpire)</span> American baseball umpire (born 1952)

Robert Allan Davidson is a former umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "Balkin' Bob" and "Balk-a-Day Bob" for his tendency to liberally invoke baseball's balk rule, Davidson was an umpire on the National League (NL) staff from 1982 to 1999, and he was on the combined MLB umpiring staff from 2005 to 2016. He worked one World Series (1992) and several other postseason series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Servais</span> American baseball player & manager (born 1967)

Scott Daniel Servais is an American professional baseball manager and former player. Servais served as the manager of the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2016 to 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in baseball</span> Overview of women in baseball

Women have a long history in American baseball and many women's teams have existed over the years. Baseball was played at women's colleges in New York and New England as early as the mid-nineteenth century; teams were formed at Vassar College, Smith College, Wellesley College, and Mount Holyoke College. An African American women's team, the Philadelphia Dolly Vardens, was formed in 1867.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Instant replay in Major League Baseball</span> Method for MLB officials to review on-field decisions

Major League Baseball (MLB) uses instant replay review to allow league officials to review certain types of plays in order to determine the accuracy of the initial call of the umpires on the field. Reviews may be initiated either by a team's manager with limitations or by the umpires themselves. All instant replay reviews are examined by umpires at the Replay Command Center in New York City, who have the final decision as to whether to uphold or overturn the initial call.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baseball Canada</span> Canadian governing body for baseball

Baseball Canada is the national governing body for baseball in Canada. They are members of the Canadian Olympic Committee and the World Baseball Softball Confederation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Holbrook</span> American baseball umpire (born 1965)

Samuel Woodford Holbrook is an American retired Major League Baseball umpire. He made his MLB debut in 1996 and was promoted to crew chief in 2017. Holbrook worked the World Series in 2010, 2016, and 2019. He retired following the 2022 season.

John William "Ziggy" Sears was a professional baseball umpire who worked in the National League from 1934 to 1945. Sears umpired 1,647 major league games in his 12-year career. He umpired in two World Series and two All-Star Games. He also was a minor league baseball outfielder for 15 seasons between 1912 and 1928.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Almora</span> American baseball player (born 1994)

Reinaldo Albert Almora Jr. is an American professional baseball center fielder in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, and Cincinnati Reds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pitch clock</span> Clock used in baseball to speed play

A pitch clock is used in various baseball leagues to limit the amount of time a pitcher uses before he throws the ball to the hitter and/or limit the amount of time the hitter uses before he is prepared to hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pace of play</span> The speed at which a game of baseball game moves at

In baseball, pace of play refers to the length of time between in-game action, specifically the length of time a pitcher takes between their pitches. A slow pace of play can extend the length of games, which is regarded as an issue in college baseball and professional baseball. To accelerate the pace of play, leagues have instituted rule changes, such as the implementation of a pitch clock in Major League Baseball.

References

Abdeldaiem, A. (2019, April 12). Sports Illustrated. Retrieved from sportsillustrated: https://www.si.com/mlb/2019/04/12/alternative-baseball-atlanta-braves-taylor-duncan.

Autism Speaks Writers. (2020, October 15). Autism Speaks. Retrieved from autismspeaks: https://www.autismspeaks.org/provider/alternative-baseball-organization-inc

Writers, A. N. (2020, August 31). ABC News. Retrieved from abcnews7: https://abc7news.com/baseball-league-for-children-and-adults-with-special-needs-bay-area-sports-autism-alternative/6397203/

Writers, Alternative Baseball. (2022). Alternative Baseball FAQ. Retrieved from Alternative Baseball: https://www.alternativebaseball.org/faq.

  1. ↑ "Associated Members of the WBSC". World Baseball Softball Confederation. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  2. ↑ "'Just want a chance': Man with autism starting alternative baseball league in suburbs". WGN-TV. 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  3. ↑ "'Just want a chance': Man with autism starting alternative baseball league in suburbs". WGN-TV. 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  4. ↑ "'Just want a chance': Man with autism starting alternative baseball league in suburbs". WGN-TV. 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  5. ↑ "The Alternative Baseball League provides playing experience for athletes with special needs". ABC7 San Francisco. 2020-09-21. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  6. ↑ "The Alternative Baseball League provides playing experience for athletes with special needs". ABC7 San Francisco. 2020-09-21. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  7. ↑ "The Alternative Baseball League provides playing experience for athletes with special needs". ABC7 San Francisco. 2020-09-21. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.