Story & Photos by Jim Donnelly
Bucky Dent is a Hall of Fame baseball player. He used his money and fame to start a baseball school in Delray Beach. For kids across the country the fields at that school were nothing short of Heaven. However, for special needs kids, playing on those fields was only a dream. Well, just like in the movie, the motto, “If you build it, they will come” came true! Anthony V. Pugliese V field, was a specially designed field which is now the home to The Delray Beach Miracle League.
For 16 weeks a year, 8 in Spring and 8 in the fall, League Director Jeff Kadell and many volunteers do the extraordinary: They help special needs kids experience the joys of playing America’s pastime. And the results are priceless!
Special needs kids have walkers, wheelchairs or other limitations that keep them from joining “Normal” kids on regular fields; But not on this one. Miracle League Coach Ted Green says, “This is a specialized field that is custom made just for this type of event. It’s a soft rubber that actually allows the children to play, roll, wheelchair, walker, fall and not hurt themselves, its amazing! Through donations and everything else, it’s allowed them to be an actual part of a regular sport.”
The Coral Springs Pokers, a 10U travel team, are considered an Elite team in the world of competitive travel baseball in South East Florida. Mike Roberts founded the Pokers organization in 1990. Current coach Mike Sorenson sums up Roberts’ philosophy like this, “I think the charge that he began and that has been carried on since his death was not only to teach young men the game of baseball, but to also teach sportsmanship and how to be a good citizen and human being.”
That charge is what led the coaching staff, parents and players of the Pokers to volunteer to cheer on the athletes of The Miracle League. On a rainy Saturday afternoon, The Florida Pokers divided their team in half and lined the first and third base lines. The 9 and 10 year-olds fought the urge to get out and play the game….but instead they got to cheer on the ‘special’ players.
Sorenson added, “We are here because we really wanted the kids to understand how privileged and lucky they are to be able to play the game of baseball. They really didn’t know a lot about The Miracle League and we were able to actually show them that there are a lot of kids that can’t – who don’t have the ability to come out and throw a baseball and hit a baseball without somebody helping them or pushing them around the bases. It really made our kids take a deep look at how fortunate they are to be able to enjoy playing this game, to enjoy the little things in life like to go out, pick up and throw a baseball or swing a bat or run around the bases on their own without anybody assisting them. I think it’s really taken a different look in their lives of what they are able to do and that they are very lucky, their response has been overwhelming!”
If you would like to follow the example set by the Pokers, find The Delray Beach Miracle League on Facebook and check out their schedule and sign up to volunteer or donate what you can.
