Miracle League: Allowing all children to score a home run

Miracle League is an organization that provides children with disabilities a chance to play baseball. This organization began in 1998 when Eddie Bagwell, Rockdale Youth Baseball Association’s coach, invited a child in a wheelchair to play baseball on his team. Since then, many children with disabilities have begun playing baseball as part of over 300 Miracle League Organizations in the U.S.

In the leagues, all of the players get to bat once each inning, every athlete can score a run before the inning is over, volunteers can be ‘buddies’ to the athletes and help them throughout the games, and each team/player is seen as a winner in every game.

Cherry Hill High School East participates in this mission through its Miracle League club. Students are encouraged to work as volunteers at the games.

“It’s our job to get students…to sign up to go and be like buddies…so our students play baseball with…the children who show up to play,” said Mrs. Radbill, the Miracle League club advisor.
The Miracle League club attends the Camden County Miracle League games at Jake’s Place playground. Jakes Place playground has boundless fields that help people using wheelchairs move without restrictions. The Miracle League club attends games every Saturday in the fall during September and October, then in the spring during April and May.

Miracle League spreads joy across the country by providing children with disabilities opportunities to do activities they might not get to do on their own.

“It’s just really heartwarming when a kid…gets a hit and the whole place is cheering for him or her,” said Mrs. Radbill.

If you would like to register to become a ‘buddy’ for the Camden County Miracle League, follow the club’s Instagram page (@chemiracleleague) and click the link in their bio to register. Also, if you want to learn more about the nonprofit organization, visit miracleleague.com for more details.