April 20, 2018
Photo courtesy/Camden County
A player swings the bat during a 2017 Miracle League baseball game.
When the umpire yells “Play ball” on Saturday, April 21, it will mark the start of our fourth exciting spring baseball season at Boundless Field in Camden County.
Hundreds of children and adults with disabilities will take the field throughout the day as full participants in America’s favorite pastime.
Ed McDonnell is deputy director of the Camden County Board of Freeholders.
There are even bleachers for Mom, Dad, brothers, sisters, family and friends to watch their champions perform in a real game on a regulation baseball field.
We call our league “The Miracle League,” and we always welcome children and adults with disabilities who want to add baseball to their list of fun activities. Use a wheelchair? No problem. That’s where the flat rubberized surface comes in handy. Use a walker? No problem there, either. Need a little – or a lot – of help hitting the ball? No problem. That’s because a big part of Miracle League baseball is the many, many teenagers and adults who volunteer to help every Saturday morning. We call them “buddies.”
Buddies are really important. They’re the ones who, after you hit the ball, push your wheelchair to first base, or help you run around the bases to the roar of cheering fans. There’s no feeling quite like riding or running to first base with the breeze in your face.
Sound like fun? Then you should join the Camden County Miracle League, sponsored by our friends at Build Jake’s Place. Great people who want you to enjoy baseball just like everyone else. The Camden County Freeholder Board built Boundless Field for you, so we really want you to play. If you’ve never played baseball before … or never thought you could … that’s even better. You’re in for a great time.
If you are between the ages of 5 and 12 years old, your games start at 10 a.m. If you are older than 13 – any age at all – your games start at 11:15 a.m.
To make sure that we have a T-shirt and hat ready for you on opening day, call Karen Weidner at (856) 216-2127. Karen is our Camden County director of programming for Individuals with disAbilities. She will sign you up and tell you all about opening day.
We’re looking forward to seeing you at Boundless Field.
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Ed McDonnell is the deputy director of the Camden County Board of Freeholders and its liaison to the Division of Programming for Individuals with disAbilities and Special Needs.
