Archive for the ‘blindness’ tag
Five-a-Side Soccer #
The Paralympics are now occurring in Beijing, and among their events is the new-to-me five-a-side soccer, a version of the sport for the visually impaired. As Passport explains:
Each team has five players on the field — all of whom are blind or visually impaired, with the exception of the goalkeeper, who may be sighted. All except the goalkeepers wear eyeshades to ensure fairness. The ball makes a noise when it moves, and each team has a guide behind the opponent’s goal to direct players. The field is surrounded by walls, so there are no throw-ins.
I’d love to see a game. The photos of people playing soccer blindfolded are themselves intriguing.
The Blind Governor #
What’s been missed (at least by me) among the mess about Mr. Spitzer’s resignation is that his replacement, David Paterson, is legally blind and — of only slightly less historical importance — black. That makes him not only the fourth black governor, but the first legally blind (he still has some vision) governor in America’s history.
UPDATE (3/14/2008): The NY Times says not quite the first, Bob Cowley Riley served as governor of Arkansas for 11 days in 1975.