Our History

The first Miracle League field opened in Conyers, Georgia, in April 2000. The organizers of that first Miracle League wanted everyone to experience the joy of America’s favorite pastime. So they removed the barriers that keep children off the baseball field. They created custom-designed, rubberized turf fields that accommodate wheelchairs and other assistive devices while helping to prevent injuries.

Word spread, and today there are more than 300 Miracle League Organizations in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada – serving more than 200,000 children and adults.

We created the Miracle League of Northwest Ohio in 2006. Since then, hundreds of players have played on our custom-designed field in Northwood.

Baseball Players
Baseball Players

Our Mission

The Miracle League of NW Ohio strives to:

  1. Provide opportunities for everyone with disabilities to play Miracle League baseball, regardless of their abilities
  2. Promote community support and sponsorship of Miracle League Baseball

We cannot change or cure the medical issues life has dealt individuals with disabilities. What we can do is provide them with opportunities to experience the joy and benefits that come from playing our national pastime – baseball.

Rules of Our Game

In the Miracle League, each player bats once each inning. The players are always safe on the bases. Every player scores a run before the inning is over. (The last batter of the inning gets a home run.) Every team wins.

To provide extra support on the field, each Miracle League player is paired up with a volunteer “buddy” during the games. Many of our players need assistance with throwing, catching, hitting, and moving around the field. Some require only verbal direction, and some require full hands-on assistance. The abilities of our players vary, but our buddies make the experience of playing baseball very enjoyable for everyone.

Because they’ve been treated like athletes, our athletes leave the field with a boost in their self-esteem. They’ve made new friends, and they’ve been treated just like others.

Our Officers

* Current ML Coach
Columns

President
Jeff Barton

 

Treasurer
Alissa DeLong *

 

Secretary
Fritz Kalmbach *

Erin Curley

Dan Dower *

Melissa Gregg

 

Joe Hunsaker

Jack Jardine *

Jack Marshall

Jordan Ratliff *

Mike Pappas

Casey Sybert

Steve Tucker

Tyler Vanderhorst *

David Wilson