Miracle League allows special needs individuals a chance to play baseball
CRANBERRY TWP — It’s a real-life field of dreams. For players and their families, though, it’s simply a way to enjoy the little things.
“Once you’re here, every other thing goes away,” said South Park’s Kathy Simpson, whose daughter, Heather Reid, plays with the Miracle League of Southwestern Pennsylvania. “Just for an hour, it’s fun, it’s festive. … If it takes them 20 times to hit the ball, it takes them 20 times to hit the ball — and everyone just gets happier for them when they do. We’ll keep coming as long as we can.”
The league plays its games at Graham Park’s Pirates Charities Miracle League Field, which has an all-weather, rubberized surface that is handicap accessible.
“We’re a baseball league for children and adults with special needs,” said Kevin Delaney, the organization’s vice president and coordinator. “Of all ages, kind of starting at 5 years old. There’s no cap on the back end. We play all day.”
The league holds seven games every Saturday, each of which last two or three innings.
“You just never know what happens once you get inside this fence here,” said Delaney, who’s been involved for 16 years. “We have a great time every week. We love it here. I just came to give back.”
Game days take on a close-knit, welcoming atmosphere. Spectators cheer on individuals, who have their names called in pregame introductions and as they compete on the diamond.
“The league’s become like a second family,” said Judy Campbell, of New Castle. “Everybody cheers everybody’s success. Everybody plays, everybody scores, and you just cheer everybody on. It’s just such a good sense of success for all the children and young adults that have gone through the league.”
Campbell’s son, Nathan, started by hitting off a tee, but whacks pitches around the yard now.
“Just to see the growth of the kids’ skills here and whatever they need to adapt for them to be successful is here,” Campbell said.
McCandless natives Wendy Hudak and her son, Victor Lopez, have also been regulars since the organization opened shop at Graham Park.
“It was what was available at the time for him to do and do something outdoors, in a safe environment with no criticisms, because he’s not able to play fully,” Hudak said. “This is a safe environment for them to express how they can play … Having this incredible field — where if they fall, no one’s going to get hurt — everybody’s very encouraging. It’s a very welcoming environment.
“For him, having this has helped him to grow and enjoy the sport. Baseball is very consistent … so that works well with someone in the Autism spectrum.”
League board member Carol Kolling attended the organization’s first meeting and has been with it since 2007. She helps make sure that players enjoy how they look, too.
“We review all of the inventory of our shirts, and we order them through A.D. Starr, which is out in Coraopolis,” Kolling said. “(We) get all the teams ready, get extra sizes … then we’re here on opening day to support the managers, so all they need to do is send their team members here.
“We always want the children to feel good about when they go on the field.”
The uniforms and action go a long way in making the players feel like they’re part of something special.
“It just gave him the opportunity to play ball like anybody else, and it was just an inclusive group with people from all different walks of life,” Campbell said. “It’s just a fun time … Who doesn’t love baseball, right?”
Jeff Moffett and his son, Matthew, have been around the field for a while, too.
“Every person has a chance to participate,” Moffett said. “It’s great to see the smiles, the laughs. (My son) doesn’t say a whole lot, but he enjoys clapping, dancing and running the bases. It’s special to see.”
It couldn’t happen without a helping hand, however.
“A big thing about the Miracle League is all the volunteers,” Delaney said. “We have several hundred volunteers, and we can always use more volunteers. The people that are here, they go above and beyond each and every week to help out our players and players’ families. Just to have a good time and make it worthwhile.”
If interesting in volunteering, visit mlswpa.org to register.
