From WEAR TV3 (Link includes video footage)

April 25, 2005

THIS PAST WEEKEND, WE REALLY DID FIND SOME ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD. WE ALSO FOUND ANGELS IN THE IN-FIELD AND IN THE STANDS. IN FACT, FROM THE CUSTOMIZED PLAYING SURFACE TO THE MODIFIED RULES BOOK, THE ANGELS HAD *ALL* OF THE BASES COVERED. AND WHERE ELSE WOULD YOU EXPECT TO FIND SO MANY ANGELS...BUT ON A FIELD OF DREAMS IN A MIRACLE LEAGUE PARK.

And the home of the brave... Umpires, let's play ball.

The Angels, the Braves, the Marlins and the Rays are more than ready to play ball.

Larry Thompson, Miracle League Founder; It's a long time coming. We've been working on this project for about three years.

Larry; We take for granted every day what we do when we have mainstream children and we just say, "Get up. Let's go to the ballpark." You look at these kids and they don't have a ballpark. So, now they got one.

What these children with physical, mental and emotional disabilities now have, is a league of their own. With their new uniforms laid out overnight, some of these players barely slept; anticipating their turn at bat.

Vinny Carr, Braves; This is my first one.

Vinny; Exciting. And a little bit nervous.

Calming nerves is just one of the jobs of the player's best buddy.

Emily Toole, Vinny's Buddy; I push him around the bases. It's been really fun.

Jeffrey Harrison, Curtis' Buddy; We're just amking sure that our little buddies, that they can play baseball just like we do in high school, at NEP and Bellview. Just making sure they can play the game. You know, I've had the opportunity and i'd like for them to have the same thing.

Curtis Glassberg, Angels; I'm playing baseball; having fun.

Jeffrey; My buddy, Curtis, he's good. He's, like, a power hitter; he can catch the ball. He can throw it also. He's a good player.

Tammie Aeppli, Nephew gets to play; He has never been able to do any organized sports or run and play with the kids in P.E. and things like that with normal kids. And to see all these other kids out here in wheelchairs and be able to, finally be able to do what they've always wanted to do, it's amazing.

Rob Doss, Miracle League Director; To know that they are doing something they've dreamed of, their parents have dreamed of their entire lives, is very special.

Troy Brown, Whitney's Dad; My daughter, Whitney, she's six years old. We drive by this park every year and see the teams playing out here and we'd point. She has mentioned playing ball, playing ball. Wanting her to be involved in whatever she wants to be involved in and not be ridiculed and made fun of. And this right here is a way for her to be able to do that and these other kids as well.

Laura Fernandez, Robert's Mom; He hit a home run. My son hit a homerun.

Laura; He loves it so much. But, it's hard to find leagues that will accept special needs.

Laura; It's incredible. It's so great to see him as part of a team. And he's doing so well. I'm just very excited for him.

There you go. Get on the plate. There you go. Oh, yeah.

Larry; Knowing what it is to have a child and watching them play ball. I had two and I got to watch them play from little league all the way up and the memories are great. So. that's why I wanted it.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO REGISTER YOUR CHILD TO PLAY IN THE MIRACLE LEAGUE OF IF YOU'D LIKE TO VOLUNTEER, CALL (850) 433-7404...OR VISIT THEIR WEB SITE AT www.miracleleaguepensacola.org