INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Indians and Indianapolis Indians Charities today announced that two Special Olympics Indiana State Softball Championships featuring four teams and nearly 70 athletes will be played on Saturday, Oct. 10 at Victory Field. The first game begins at 11 AM and the second contest starts at 1 PM.
“We have been proud partners with Special Olympics Indiana for over 50 years and are thrilled to provide its athletes an opportunity to play at beautiful Victory Field,” said Randy Lewandowski, Indianapolis Indians President and General Manager. “We hope to uplift the spirits of the athletes in what has been a challenging summer and give them a memory they’ll cherish forever.”
Special Olympics Indiana softball teams consist of athletes of all ages and compete in one of three classifications: traditional teams including only Special Olympics athletes; unified teams comprised of individuals with or without intellectual disabilities; and designated pitcher teams, which play under modified rules to ensure greater pitcher consistency. The Special Olympics Indiana 2020 State Softball Championships feature gold medal games in the traditional (Johnson County Blue vs. Johnson County White) and designated pitcher (Tippecanoe County Sluggers vs. Shelby County Cardinals) classifications. Both games will be seven-inning affairs.
“In a year that has seen the cancellation or suspension of countless events and even entire sports seasons, the excitement our athletes are now feeling about the chance to compete – not only in-person, but at a professional baseball stadium – just cannot be overstated,” said Special Olympics Indiana President & CEO Jeff Mohler. “So, on behalf of the entire Special Olympics Indiana community, I’d like to extend our gratitude to the Indianapolis Indians and Indianapolis Indians Charities for helping us to get back on the field and for making this a really memorable experience for everyone involved.”
For those wanting to attend the championship games, please contact Special Olympics Indiana Director of Sports & Competition Scott Mingle at [email protected] or (317) 328-2004. Gates open at 10 AM.
Officially established as a Special Olympics sport in 1983 and based upon rules developed by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), softball is played by more than 70,000 Special Olympics athletes worldwide each year. Softball is Special Olympics Indiana’s fourth-most popular sport, promoting personal growth and development among its athletes, to encourage active lifestyles, and to improve self-esteem among children and adults with intellectual disabilities throughout Indiana.
In a typical year, softball is played throughout the summer by thousands of individuals and dozens of teams. Special Olympics Indiana’s annual state softball tournament includes sectional qualifiers in the north, south and central regions of Indiana in mid-August, with state finals taking place in or near Indianapolis each September.
On a national level, Team Indiana earned gold in softball at the 2018 USA Games in Seattle, Wash. and is preparing to compete once again at the 2022 USA Games in Orlando, Fla.