Baseball for All: The Miracle League

The Miracle League allows anyone with any disability to play ball. This is made possible by volunteers, sponsors and unique complexes across the country.

Miracle League baseball fields are custom-designed with cushioned rubberized surfaces to help prevent injuries. The fields are completely flat to eliminate any barriers to wheelchair-bound or visually impaired players. The complexes also feature wheelchair-accessible dugouts, restrooms, concession stands and picnic pavilions.

Currently, 270 Miracle Leagues are located in 46 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Canada, Australia and Mexico. In 1998, there were 35 players in the league. In 2002, more than 250 players participated. To date, the Miracle League has more than 200,000 players with disabilities. This sports phenomenon is quickly growing in numbers and popularity.

The league has been televised on NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC and Fox Sports. In 2002, the Miracle League received the Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award, which is presented annually to a person or persons who have demonstrated leadership and volunteerism while making significant contributions in promoting peace and understanding and improving communication and cooperation between diverse populations. In 2006, the league was inducted into The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Eddie Bagwell, a coach for the Rockdale Youth Baseball Association (RYBA) in Conveys, Ga., invited the first child with a disability, a 7-year-old boy named Michael whose brother was on the team, to play on the team in 1997. In 1998, RYBA formed the Miracle League. In 1999, Dean Alford, president of the Rotary Miracle League Fund, the Rotary Clubs of Rockdale County and the city of Conyers formed the Rotary Miracle League Fund. The purpose of the organization is to raise funds necessary to build complexes with facilities that meet the special needs of the Miracle League players, and assist efforts to create Miracle Leagues across the country.

The Rules of the Miracle League

Every player bats once each inning
There are no strikeouts
All players are safe on all bases
Every player scores a run before the inning is over (the last one at bat gets a home run)
Community volunteers serve as “buddies” to assist the players
Each team and each player wins every game

Fields’ Surface Specifics by Surface America

Typical thickness is one-half inch
Base-layer options include asphalt or concrete
One-layer system: EPDM rubber & Aliphatic urethane binder
100% latex free (verification provided upon request)
Porous
Custom designs available – logos, shapes, colors, etc.
Made from pre- and post-industrial recycled materials
Eligible for LEED® credits and state grants
7-year warranty (industry’s longest & most comprehensive)

Volunteer or Join a League

To volunteer or join a league, contact the corporate office at (770) 760-1933 to find or be connected to a Miracle League in your area. You can also visit your area’s Miracle League website and fill out the proper forms.

Be a “Buddy”

Anyone interested in becoming a “buddy” should contact the corporate office at (770) 760-1933. “Buddies” commit to an eight-week season; two seasons are offered per year.

Start a League

To start a league, request a Miracle League starter kit from Stephanie@miracleleague.com. In the league-starting process, you will receive a step-by-step manual; build a support team in your community; fundraise for your field; build your Miracle League field (with the help of the National Miracle League office); and organize your teams to play ball.