Jackson Heights, NY—United Spinal Association announced today that players from the Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, and Oakland Athletics wheelchair softball teams will join their local counterparts on the New York Mets and New York Yankees wheelchair softball teams to teach nearly 100 New York City school students with disabilities the basics of wheelchair softball at 12 noon on Friday, September 21st in the Shea Stadium parking lot.

Bill Hannigan, United Spinal Association’s director of Sports and Recreation, stated “this is the seventh straight year that we have partnered with the Department of Education’s Office of Adapted Physical Education to provide instruction to kids about the rules and the skills of wheelchair softball. Both the local and visiting team players enjoy the clinic as much as the youngsters do, but there’s nothing quite like the big smile on a student’s face when he or she smashes a line drive to the outfield. That smile says ‘I can do this!’”

The wheelchair softball clinic for youngsters is held each year as part of the Major League Wheelchair Softball Tournament, sponsored by the United Spinal Association and the New York Mets Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise. It is distinct from other wheelchair softball tournaments in that only teams that are supported by an MLB franchise are invited. A total of 12 wheelchair softball games will be played between 8 AM and 4 PM on both Friday, September 21st and Saturday, September 22nd. Interested members of the public may attend.

Wheelchair softball is a challenging sport that allows most wheelchair users to participate. The game is played on a hard surface with painted-on bases. Use of a 16 inch diameter softball makes the game easier to play. Beyond these minor variations, most other rules of baseball apply.