News Release: Miracle League bringing All-Star game to Findlay
This past weekend, September 14 – 16, in Findlay, Ohio at the Blanchard Valley Health System Miracle Park, the Miracle League of Alexandria’s Donald Anthony was one of over 90 participants to participate in the inaugural National Miracle League All-Star Baseball Games.
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Donald represented the City of Alexandria playing with participants from 25 states from across the United States and Canada. The honored participates represented 60 chapters of the Miracle League who were nominated to play by their leagues. The Miracle League is a national program was founded in 2000 in Atlanta, Georgia and has grown to over 300 teams from the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The program was started with play in Alexandria in the spring of 2011 with the rubberized surface, Kelley Cares Miracle Field completed in November 2012. The Miracle League program is specifically for youth and adults with special needs to enjoy outdoor recreational opportunities and plays baseball in the spring and fall each year.
During the weekend of activities, Donald and his parents, Marion and Jackie Anthony, along with Miracle League of Alexandria coordinator, Mac Slover, (former Regional Program Director for the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities who retired after 30 years in June) and Diane Ford attended the special mixer and Taste of Findlay kick-off event on Friday night, the games and a celebration gala and awards program on Saturday.
Each of the participants were provided a special all-star uniform and shoes for game, gift bags, prizes, an all-star medal and other special awards at the gala.
The game provided Donald and the other participants the opportunity to play the games in a major league atmosphere setting with the announcement of the player’s names before and during the game, their picture on a video scoreboard, play by play announcing and music. All the families and spectators cheered on each player loudly when they hit the ball, ran the bases and scored. Mac Slover stated “The biggest joy of the weekend for me was seeing how happy and excited Donald and the other participates were. I loved watching them and seeing their families smile and laugh, knowing how proud they were to be playing this wonderful game of baseball.” “I am especially glad that Marion and Jackie got to experience this weekend with their son, Donald. I am just lucky Diane and I had the chance to be a part of it too and network with so many wonderful people throughout the country and Canada.” “It was about being a family and supporting each other.” Donald’s team, the Yankees played the third game of the day to a pack field of spectators and received rounds of cheers throughout the game and many congratulations following it.
Donald’s parents Jackie and Marion stated “On Saturday morning Donald was off to the big game! He got his baseball glove in hand and ready to play Baseball! We were thrilled to see his name and picture on the scoreboard showing him from the Miracle League of Alexandria. We were so excited to see him sent the ball screaming across the field as he was off to the bases. It was what he had hoped for all day. The baseball game was incredible, and we were so proud to watch him play a game he dearly loves. Wow, it brought us so much joy to see this!”
The 2019 National Miracle League All-Star Games will be in Sioux City, Iowa. Slover stated “we are already planning for next year games.” For information on the games this year go to www.miracleleagueallstargame.com.
The Miracle League of Alexandria begins its fall baseball season on September 19. The youth games are held on Wednesdays from 4:30 – 6 pm and the adult games are on Saturdays from 1 – 2:30 pm at the Kelley Cares Miracle League Field, located at the Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.
Written by Mac Slover