By Tom Scott
an exhibition of their skills at Madison Square Garden during
a break in a New York Liberty WNBA game in July.
(Photo by Emile Wamsteker)
United Spinal Liberty MSG Event
Ten players from the United Spinal Liberty women’s wheelchair basketball team practiced and played a scrimmage game before the New York Liberty and San Antonio Silver Sparks WNBA game on Friday July 6, 2006 at the World’s Most Famous Arena—Madison Square Garden. During halftime, the team was invited to center court and introduced to the thousands of fans in attendance. The team, co-sponsored by United Spinal and the New York Liberty, is composed of women with disabilities, ranging in age from 5 to 51 and is one of the first women’s wheelchair basketball teams sponsored by a professional franchise in New York.
6th Annual Major League Wheelchair Softball Tournament
On September 15 to 16, the United Spinal Mets will host the 6th Annual Wheelchair Softball Tournament in the Shea Stadium parking lot in Queens, New York. Approximately eight of the best Major League Baseball (MLB) sponsored wheelchair softball teams from across the country will be competing, including the United Spinal Mets and Yankees, as well as defending National Champion RIC Cubs. There will also be a clinic held on the 15th to introduce the sport of wheelchair softball to local children.
Wheelchair softball is played under the official rules of 16-inch slow pitch softball as approved by the Amateur Softball Association of America with 15 exceptions to accommodate the wheelchair-user. Players compete on hard surfaces, such as a parking lot, instead of the normal grassy infield, and use a 16-inch softball, which allows wheelchair players to keep one hand on the wheelchair while catching the softball without a glove.
Wheelchair softball was started in 1975 by individuals with spinal cord injuries and lower extremity impairments in the Midwest who still wanted to enjoy America’s greatest pastime. In 1976, the National Wheelchair Softball Association (NWSA) was founded and serves as the governing body for wheelchair softball in the US.
Tom Scott is staff editor.
