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Miracle League Of Michigan Ready To Play Ball
POSTED: 5:35 pm EDT June 7,
2004
UPDATED: 7:09 pm EDT June 7,
2004
A new field of dreams gives disabled children the chance to play ball on a baseball diamond designed especially for them.The field is the first of its kind in Michigan, but it needs some finishing touches.The Miracle League of Michigan will give children with mental and physical disabilities a place to play baseball and the Southfield facility is state of the art. But it needed roofs for the dugouts. So the miracle league called Ruth to the Rescue.
"Miracle league" ball fields across the country are handicapped-accessible, and made of rubberized material, so disabled children can play safely.Most of what you see at the $535,000 diamond in Southfield was donated, but the dugouts still need roofs to shelter players from the sun. "Children are out here, some of them with respirators, some with different equipment, and they get hot," said Steve Peck of the Miracle League of Michigan.When Ruth to the Rescue called Robertson Brothers builders, they agreed to construct the roofs. Thirty employees will volunteer their time this weekend."If we in the business community can help that cause it'll make us all feel great and really go a long way for those children," said Jim Jehle of Robertson Brothers. Metro Detroit's Miracle League is registering players right now for games throughout the summer.The league pairs disabled children with able-bodied "buddies.""If they're in a wheelchair, I wheel them to first. Or if a line drive might happen to be coming their way and I don't think they can quite field it I might step in and stop it," said Mark Karadsheh, Miracle League buddy.Despite all the generosity, the field still needs bleachers and seating in the dugout. Miracle League also needs help building the concession stand.No matter what, opening day is June 28.To find out more, go to
MichiganMiracle.org









