James Mastro
Career Overview
Dr. James Mastro stands as one of the most accomplished figures in the history of beep baseball and adaptive sport. A co-founder of the NBBA and its third president, he helped shape the structure of the league while building one of the most decorated athletic careers in its history.
Competing from 1976 through 1991, and later returning to the field in 2006 and 2007, Mastro played for Braille Sports Foundation in Minneapolis, Sioux Falls Delighted, Fort Worth Roadrunners, West Coast Dawgs, and several Minnesota based teams. His longevity across multiple eras reflects both elite ability and enduring competitive drive.
World Series Excellence
Mastro was a consistent presence on the World Series stage, earning multiple All-Star and MVP honors.
- World Series All-Star, Lawrence, KS
- World Series MVP, Phoenix, AZ
- World Series MVP, Lawrence, KS
- Co-MVP, Arlington, TX
- World Series All-Star, Houston, TX
- World Series All-Star, Minneapolis, MN
- World Series All-Star, Topeka, KS
A powerful hitter and dominant defender, he was a member of four NBBA championship teams, named to eight All-Tournament teams, and earned three World Series MVP honors during his career. At the 1981 Sioux Falls Regional, he recorded 24 putouts and batted .702 for the weekend, leading his team to the tournament title.
In 2006, after years away from competition, Mastro returned to the World Series with the West Coast Dawgs and batted .562, proving that his competitive edge had not faded.
Beyond Beep Baseball
Referred to as the “Strongman of Beep Baseball,” Mastro’s achievements extended far beyond the diamond. A multi-sport athlete, he earned medals in track and field, wrestling, and judo through United States Association of Blind Athletes competition. He competed internationally, won five gold medals and five silver medals in International Games competition, and was inducted into the USABA Hall of Fame.
After losing his vision at age eighteen, Mastro refused to accept imposed limitations. He became the first blind conference wrestling champion at Augsburg College and later an alternate to the United States Olympic team in Greco Roman wrestling. His athletic journey reshaped perceptions of what blind athletes could achieve.
Legacy
A professor, coach, author, and advocate, Dr. Mastro devoted his life to expanding opportunity in sport for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. He earned a Ph.D. in Physical Education and championed the belief that athletes with vision loss are athletes first.
His legacy lives in both the rulebook of the NBBA and the generations of competitors who followed. Through leadership, innovation, and performance at the highest level, Dr. James Mastro helped define modern beep baseball and elevate adaptive sport nationwide.