Second Thoughts

Orioles honor the blind with Braille salute

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Trey Mancini (left) wears a jersey featuring his last name in Braille during a game Tuesday in Baltimore.
Baltimore Orioles first baseman Trey Mancini (left) wears a jersey featuring his last name in Braille during a game Tuesday in Baltimore.

The Baltimore Orioles are having a season that local fans will try their hardest to forget, but on Tuesday the team commemorated an event in history-making fashion. The Orioles became the first U.S. professional team, they claimed, to use Braille lettering on their game-day uniforms.

During a game against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards, Braille dots spelled out the word "Orioles" on the fronts of players' jerseys, and the lettering was used to denote their names on the backs. In addition, Braille alphabet cards were handed out to fans at the ballpark.

The occasion was the 40th anniversary of the move to Baltimore of the National Federation of the Blind's headquarters. According to an account on the team's website, the Orioles had initially discussed honoring the NFB on July 26, to mark the 28th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, but when they learned of the upcoming date, they came up with a new, and unprecedented, approach.

In addition to the uniforms and Braille lettering in the O's lineup graphic, the team invited a blind concert pianist, Carlos Ibay, to sing the national anthem, and NFB President Mark Riccobono threw out the first pitch. Riccobono described throwing out the first pitch as "a little bit nerve-racking," but he said it helped that he'd "done a lot of nerve-racking stuff" in his life.

"It really means a lot that the Baltimore Orioles are acknowledging [the anniversary], and not just in a way that says, 'It's nice to have you,' but in a real way that's authentic to blind people, by including Braille, which is the means that blind people use for literacy all across the world," Riccobono told Des Bieler of The Washington Post before the game.

He added that when the team said it could use the lettering on its uniforms, he and others at his organization thought it was "a fantastic idea" and suggested distributing the alphabet cards to help fans learn "what Braille is, and how to recognize the characters."

"We enjoy visiting the parks," said Chris Danielsen, the NFB's director of public relations (via MLB.com). "For a totally blind person like myself, there are different things to enjoy about the ballpark other than the visuals of it.

"Of course, it's important that baseball and all sports were broadcast on radio before they were broadcast on television, and both blind and sighted fans have always enjoyed baseball games on the radio when they could not come to the ballpark."

The Braille-adorned jerseys are set to be auctioned off, with the proceeds benefiting the NFB, while one of the jerseys will go to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Had him, lost him

The Oakland Raiders have struggled with their pass rush in the first two games of the NFL season, totaling only two sacks during their 0-2 start. Coach Jon Gruden ironically blamed the quality of personnel on the roster.

"It's hard to find a great pass-rusher," Gruden said Wednesday, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic.

The Raiders had a great one in Khalil Mack, but he was traded to the Chicago Bears before the start of the regular season after the two sides failed to agree on a new contract.

Mack has two sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception returned for a touchdown since joining the Bears.

Still, the lack of success to start the year hasn't caused Gruden to second-guess his moves.

"It doesn't make me regret the trade," Gruden said Monday, according to Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.

Sports on 09/21/2018

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