Stepping Up to the Plate
The crack of a bat. The heat of the summer sun. The crunch of peanut shells underfoot. Baseball is the great American pastime, but for many New Albany residents with disabilities, baseball means sitting in the bleachers.
Thanks to a dedicated local group, that’s about to change.
Kevin Klingele, chief of orthopedics at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, was introduced to Miracle League in summer 2016 when some of his patients invited him to a game. He didn’t know it at the time but these patients, who he’d been seeing since their infancy and who are now preteens, would inspire Klingele beyond imagination.
“It becomes somewhat of a life-changing experience when you watch these kids and the smiles on their faces when they run the bases,” says Klingele. “It becomes an escape where they get away from doctor’s visits and therapy visits – all the things that come with being outside and playing baseball.”
Klingele learned that both Dublin and Grove City have their own Miracle Leagues, but not New Albany. Surprising to no one, when Klingele began to float the idea of bringing a league to New Albany, he was wholly embraced.
“There has been huge support. It’s a perfect fit for our community,” says Klingele. “With the emphasis New Albany has on fitness, we’re making sure everybody’s involved in that initiative.”
The Big Leagues
With the need realized and through the encouragement of friends, family and neighbors, Klingele hit the ground running. The original hope was to construct a new baseball diamond for the league in Bevelhymer Park, but logistics got in the way. Instead, the City of New Albany and the New Albany Company rented the land near the Plain Township Aquatic Center – with the price tag of $1 per year – to the Miracle League of New Albany.
In order to break ground and build what the board envisioned, fundraising began. Since then, around $260,000 has been raised by community members. The board doesn’t just want any baseball diamond, however. It wants a state-of-the-art Miracle League field fit for central Ohio’s athletes.
“We’ve had tremendous support of friends and family and just the community,” says Klingele. “This is going to be the best baseball field in central Ohio. This will serve communities all around – it won’t just be New Albany.”
Board members hoped to see the first Miracle League pitch thrown this fall, but fundraising continues. The board hopes to double what has already been donated before ground is broken – and in New Albany, that’s a matter of when; not if.
“We have an anonymous donor that is willing to match the next $100,000 raised. If we got that, we would be close to shovel-ready. That’s our next big push,” says Klingele. “We’re looking for corporate support. If that happens, we’re optimistic we can have that first pitch in spring or summer.”
Klingele hopes to have around 10 teams with 10-15 athletes per team during the first season, but expects the league to grow tremendously after that. A father of four Miracle League Buddies, Klingele anticipates the Miracle League will help more than just the athletes.
“The effect these games have on the so-called Buddies, and the effect they have on the relationships they form with these kids, is just as important,” he says. “The effect on the community and the awareness (Miracle League) brings – the togetherness of the community – can’t be overstated.”
A Grand Slam
Klingele and his board’s hopes don’t just stop at one Miracle League field, however. The lot near the Plain Township Aquatic Center is quite large, and Klingele wants to fill the whole thing.
“My dream would be to create an all-access campus for other sports; not just baseball. That’s the ultimate goal,” he says. “Then we can expand to the adult population.”
With the initial deadline goal in the rearview mirror, Klingele says it can be frustrating to see plans moving slowly despite the huge community effort and passion. However, with a noble objective, it’s not easy to stay dejected too long.
“You can’t imagine what this is until you’ve actually experienced it in person. Then, once you do, you realize it’s more than just a baseball field sitting there,” says Klingele. “It’s a lot more than that. That’s by far the best part, … seeing the kids cross home plate.”
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The Miracle League of New Albany operates under the philosophy that "every child deserves a chance to play baseball." And being in New Albany, those athletes deserve a beautiful facility that matches its city.
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To get involved with the Miracle League of New Albany as an athlete, volunteer or to support the effort to build the first field in New Albany, visit www.namiracleleague.org.
Amanda DePerro is an editor. Feedback welcome at adeperro@cityscenemediagroup.com.