Play Ball!

Spring is in the air and a young man’s fancy turns to baseball! Major league, minor league and everything in between ball. As parents of a little leaguer, you know the thrill you get when your child hits the ball, whether it’s a home run, a pop fly, a line drive, or a foul ball. Every at bat you pray that they’ll just get a piece of it. You run right along with them as they cover the bases, and when they get put out, you feel their pain and celebrate when they make a homer.

For the last several years, parents of special needs children have been able to experience the same thrills. Miracle League came to Randol Mill Park in Arlington, Texas. When I first learned my nephew was going to be playing, I wondered how could some of these children participate who are profoundly impacted by their physical and mental abilities?

I didn’t need to worry. How do those children react? The same way other children react. They are happy when they hit the ball, when their teammate hits the ball and when the other team hits the ball. They congratulate the runners on base, even if they play for the other team. One player on my nephew’s team, every time she hits the ball, it’s going to be a home run because she wants it to be. She passes up her other team members to run all the way home. And that’s okay. The games always end in a tie, but the reality is everybody wins.

Miracle League is open to any special needs child. One of my nephew’s teammates was legally blind, several have been in wheelchairs and a couple used walkers. The field is rubberized, so if they fall they won’t get hurt. Every player has a buddy to run the bases with, and they can hit the ball the coach pitches or hit off a tee. All the players hit, run and score. One player ran all the way around the bases, then ran around them again. He was headed for a third round, when the coach grabbed him and put him in the dugout. They do play by their own set of rules and the first one is Everybody has a great time!

I don’t know much about how Miracle League came to be, I believe it started in Florida, but the purpose of this is not a history lesson, but a His Story lesson.

My nephew loves Miracle League. He has been on Coach Jerry’s team for the last 7 or 8 years. He has friends on the team that have remained the same, while others have rotated out. He has friends from school that play on other teams, and he encourages them just as much as they encourage him. He has trophies from each season which he will proudly show you along with his pictures in his baseball uniform. He gets to bat twice a game, and has turned into a real slugger! Hasn’t quite hit one over the fence yet, but he’s been close.

I get a lump in my throat as I watch these children play baseball who have never had the opportunity before. How their eyes light up as they head for home amid the cheers of the crowd. Hugs are freely given as are smiles. Oh, the smiles. Every face involved has a smile, the children, the parents, the buddies, and the aunts and uncles. Is it little league baseball? No, but I think that the little and major leagues could learn a lot by watching these games. These kids have overcome great obstacles in some cases to play, and they are grateful for the opportunity. These children play ball for the sheer enjoyment of doing something “normal’ for an hour or so. There are no egos on any of these teams, just warm fuzzy moments of pure joy.

If you want to see a miracle in action, get to Randol Mill Park in Arlington any Saturday during the month of May (Except May 1, that’s Special Olympics Day) and spend a couple of hours watching these children. It truly is an amazing sight, one you will not soon forget. And if you smile just right, you might get a hug.

Hugs,

Stevie

Copyright 2010 Stevie Stevens, Fort Worth Texas. For information please contact faithleap@sbcglobal.net