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Disabled Children in Las Vegas Get a Field of Dreams
Filed under: In The News, Special Needs, Amazing Kids
There's no grass on the field. Just rubber.
Games are only two innings. Everyone bats. Everyone scores. No one is ever called out. The score is always tied.
There is no crying in baseball. Not in this league anyway.
Disabled children in Las Vegas finally have a league of their own -- with a field to match.
KVBC, the NBC affiliate in Las Vegas, reports members of Las Vegas' First Christian Church offered the Miracle League of Las Vegas a 99-year lease at a dollar a year to use church land to build a field of dreams.
The recently completed ballpark was under construction for five years, and the league just started its first season.
"This is the most joyous day of the year," Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman told KVBC on opening day.
The odds were against Daniel McCarty, 7, ever playing baseball. He suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease). The new field means he can play without fear.
"It means fun and people get to play baseball and stuff," the boy tells KVBC. "And it's a fun day to play baseball."
Rip Rippetoe, executive director of the league, tells the station regular grass would never work for players who need a field that's wheelchair-accessible.
"Every athlete comes on the field with a buddy," Rippetoe tells KVBC. "The buddy's responsibility is to be a motivator, create relationships and to protect the player."
The league has 74 players signed up for this season. Everyone plays for free thanks to a gift from the Engelstad Family Foundation.
McCarty's mother, Nicole, tells KVBC her son knows his limitations, but that doesn't keep him from being a kid.
"There's times when he's just being a boy and he wants to rough house or throw, repeatedly knowing that at night he's going to get a muscle spasm, and he'll get a fracture," she tells the station. "But at this point we have to let him make those decisions and then we treat the pain after."
Related: Girl Pitcher Strikes Out the Boys, But How Far Can She Go in Baseball?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
5-11-2010 @ 2:27PM
Amy said...This is wonderful! I have a son with disabilities and we have had a field just like this in the Denver area for about 4 years now. Everyone should go see these amazing games!!!
Reply
5-11-2010 @ 3:04PM
OhLori said...I don't have a child with a disability, however I think this is awesome. What a dream come true for these kids to be able to go out on the field and play. To everyone involved in making this happen, you all must be very special, loving, caring people. My hat is off to you all.
Reply
5-11-2010 @ 3:41PM
Angiebaby said...I'm supposed to live in Las Vegas someday, or at least have a condo there, so when I win big sums I will pay the taxes, go on a shopping spree, set a little aside for retirement and then make very, very nice donations to programs like this one. If I have a condo there, I want to give something to the community if I call it home, even on a part-time basis. Andre Agassi and his wife have a school there for at-risk children, surely there is a Headstart program or a Boys & Girls Club, and now this Field of Dreams. Of course I've never won anything in my life, but that's gonna' have to seriously change for me to get that condo. God hasn't told me about THAT part yet.
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5-11-2010 @ 4:20PM
JK said...We have a new league here in the Antelope Valley in California that doesnt have a field of dreams but they still play. it is awesome. They had the first game a few weeks ago and so many people came out to play and cheer. Its an actually league style so they play more then one game
Reply
5-11-2010 @ 5:02PM
Bonnie Pope said...We have a new place here in San Antonio, Texas that opened in April. It's called 'Morgan's Wonderland'. It is a place for the specially-abled of all ages to have fun and participate in various activities, have a picnic, ride a train that is wheel-chair accessible, make music, and other fun stuff. It is fully staffed by trained personnel and volunteers and free to the disabled community. Their parents or caregivers pay only 5$ at the gate. Even my blind, MR adult daughter had a blast around the park.
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5-11-2010 @ 5:22PM
Nikki said...I have a disabled child who has played baseball for the last 6 years. HE LOVES IT. All the kids get to hit the ball no matter how many times it takes them... and they get to run the bases (either assisted in their wheelchairs or some in power chairs by themselves) this is so much fun for them. All the parents sit on the same side of the field and everyone cheers all the kids on.
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5-11-2010 @ 5:32PM
Bob said...I lived in Vegas for 15 years and got to see Lots of good things for the underprivilaged and disabled.The town gets a bad rap for its wild side but there is lots of things done for the needy.Most of the high profile people give back to the city and do not want any that aboys for it.
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5-11-2010 @ 7:28PM
Tia said...There is another field like this being built in Panama City Beach as we speak, at Frank Brown park.
Reply
5-11-2010 @ 7:44PM
mmustanglady302 said...My sons have played in the Miracle League program in Des Moines, IA for almost 3 years. They love it, and love cheering their friends on!! Thank God for people who who see the need for these programs!!!!
Reply
6-21-2010 @ 7:52PM
Marvin Ferguson said...This is excellent. A field of dreams and rightfully so. Even though I don't have a child with a disability, I write in my book Boys On the Gold Coast about the opportunity to dream big. These people deserve nothing better. I'm reminded about how God loves average people like me. Congratulations baseball players and I wish you the best. Go out and win!!!
Reply