Angels in the outfield-- and the infield-- and behind the scenes

Doug Graves © 2007

Seemingly miles from the nearest town is a ball park nestled between the woods and a green hill. From it comes the laughter of children having fun . . . that sweetest of sounds that only the crotchety find irksome.
The Orioles are playing the Yankees. The Orioles are at bat. Bases are loaded. Nine-year old Cheyenne Mack is up. The players are intent as the pitcher lets loose with . . . an air ball? An easy pitch? But still Cheyenne connects with the satisfying sound that only a plastic bat can make on a whiffle ball. “Vbloop!” The ball rolls to center field. Turning what looks like an easy out into a run, Cheyenne runs with a delighted grin to first base, her angel trailing along behind. The runner on third base furiously pushes the grip rails on his child sized wheel chair and rolls across home plate. Safe!
Angel? Rolls across home plate, safe?
Sure, an angel. Because this is the Miracle League. And Cheyenne needs an angel in case she gets in tight spot. She has dyspraxia and doesn’t associate her thoughts with her movements very well. It’s a permanent condition. Dyspraxia, according to the dictionary, “is the partial loss of the ability to coordinate and perform certain purposeful movements and gestures in the absence of motor or sensory impairments.”
And the scoring runner? He is wheel-chair bound. Probably forever.
But every one on both teams has a serious mental or physical limitation. And every one of them is a serious baseball player having the time of his or her life. And they each have an angel. In case they get in a tight spot.
Then with the Yankees at bat, Brianna McGovern, a less than three-foot tall ten-year old, glares at the pitcher. But it’s hard to glare when you’re having fun. Maybe there is the hint of a smile from the under the bill of that baseball cap. Hard for a sports writer to tell if they are glaring or smiling when they wear their baseball caps low over their eyes, squinting into the evening sun. Smiling. Yes, definitely smiling.
She swings! A ball. Another swing; the umpire calls it a strike. Then suddenly, “Vbloop!” Plastic bat on plastic ball. And again the special impact absorbing turf barely slows the grounder as it rolls straight into the pitcher’s glove.
But miraculously, she converts what appears to be a sure out into a base hit. It’s like the laws of physics are suddenly cancelled out by the “Vbloop” of her bat and slow motion impedes every one except Brianna. Freed from the constraints of time she races along on her rump, propelled forward by her sinewy but powerful left arm. The pitcher, ball in hand, seems paralyzed. Brianna touches first base! The laws of physics are again operational. Cheers ring out!
This kind of stuff happens in the Miracle League. Her angel relaxes, angel services not being required this time.
On her rump? Yes. No legs, except part of a shin with a small foot, just enough for a tiny tennis shoe. Brianna is a “congenital amputee,” or born without limbs. In this case, born without legs and without a right arm.
What is going on here? Why is everyone having so much fun? Where are the rules? And what’s with the angels?
The Miracle League got its start in 1997 when a recreational league coach in Georgia invited a disabled boy to play. This led, the following year, to his baseball association forming the Miracle League. It caught on fast and went national.
Rules? There are some, all designed to bring out the fun but keep risks to the players minimized.
Every player bats each inning; all base runners are safe; every player scores a run before the inning is over (the last one up gets a home run); community children and volunteers serve as “angels” to assist the players; each team and each player wins every game.
The local Miracle League of the Lehigh Valley’s Fowler Field is at 5858 Sell Road, Schnecksville just off Route 309 in Heidelberg Township.
Northampton County Executive John Stoffa got the idea of bringing the franchise to the Lehigh Valley and called Kostas Kaleogeropoulos, a local hotelier and the co-founder of Camelot for Children and founder of Dream Come True, both charitable organizations that focus on children with disabilities. He, too, liked the idea and soon they had some well known local businessmen and philanthropists involved.
The ball field is in “Jaindl Family Park” so it makes sense that the Jaindl family had something to with it. David Jaindl, president of the Jaindl Land Company, donated almost five acres of land for the project.
Lee Butz, CEO of the Alvin C. Butz Company donated project management for the facility. “Many of the contractors that we assembled for the project donated portions of their fees,” Butz said. “This was a $1,500,000 project that got done for about $750,000.”
“We built it in four months,” he said. “Usually it takes that long just to get a project through a zoning board. We started construction in March [2006] and had 110 kids playing baseball by July. This year we doubled that number and have about 225 kids playing.” There are now 14 teams in the league.
The field is named “Fowler Field” after Bethlehem artist and philanthropist Marlene “Linny” Fowler. She is well known for her advocacy for children and is on the boards of numerous charitable and service organizations such as Community Service for Children, Valley Youth House and others. She was responsible, through charities that she has interests in, for substantial cash donations to the local Miracle League project.
Local architects, Eric Butz, his wife and business partner Debora Roberson, took the specifications provided by the Miracle League franchise, and donated the design of the supporting buildings such as the concession stand and bathrooms. They also contributed to the design of some of the necessary site development.
After these behind the scenes meetings of local business men, politicians, and philanthropists, it takes the janitor some time to clean up all of the angel feathers left behind.
The diamond itself is perfectly flat so there are no obstacles to interfere with the runners, many of whom use wheel chairs or have other mobility problems. It is made of cushioned, synthetic material to minimize the chances of injury. The parking lot is designed to flow one way in a circular pattern to make it easier to drop off kids and to pick them up. All bathrooms, the concession stand, and the dugouts are all handicapped assessable.
Sponsors provide the uniforms for the teams. Corporate sponsors contribute $5,000 per season for the honor of helping these kids. Teams have adopted major league names and uniforms. To be a sponsor, a volunteer, or even an angel contact Executive Director Dan McKinney (610) 262-6852. To learn more about the league go to www.miracleleaguelv.org.
Brianna, originally from the Philippines, is the adopted daughter of Tom and Kathy McGovern from Emmaus Township. Why does she play? “’Cause it’s fun!” she says.
Chyenne’s parents are William and Robin Mack of Catasauqua. Cheyenne goes to school at Sheckler Elementary School in Catasauqua where she is a ninth grader. When asked who won the dust-up between the Yankees and the Orioles, Cheyenne, with her big grin, said, “Everyone!”
The Orioles’ next game is May 26th when they play the Phillies. Then the Yankees meet the Cubs on May 30th. So Cheyenne and Brianna and their angels will be back on the field where the magic happens, each having the time of her life.