The Miracle League of Alexandria

The Miracle League of Alexandria’s Chair, Mac Slover, represented the league at the Eugene Simpson Park Complex Groundbreaking Renovation Ceremony on Saturday, June 21. The ceremony was sponsored by the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities (RPCA) as the park is now closed for the renovations until the fall of 2026. The renovations will include installing a new artificial turf field at Big Simpson Field, regrading and installing new Bermuda grass on Little Simpson Field, new dugouts, bleachers, concession and storage area, paving, new basketball court, plants, trees. lighting and other renovations at the complex.  The Simpson Complex is named after the Simpson family, who have been a longtime supporter of youth baseball in the City of Alexandria.  The very busy Simpson Park opened in 1953, and is home to the Alexandria Little League, Alexandria City High School Baseball team, Alexandria Soccer League, and features a dog park, tennis/pickleball courts, nature area and basketball court. Donnie Simpson serves on the MLA Board and often provides his time and services to support the sports community.

The ceremony featured the new Director of RPCA, Vice Mayor Bagley, City Manager Parajon, Councilman Pike, Park & Recreation Commission members, city staff, representatives from the Alexandria Little League, Alexandria High School Baseball and softball teams, Mac Slover from the MLA and community residents. Slover stated “It was important for the Miracle League of Alexandria to the support the Alexandria Baseball community at this groundbreaking.  All these groups have been very kind and supportive of the Miracle League through the years. They have supported us monetarily, with equipment and serving as “Angels in the Outfield” Buddy Volunteers to our players. It is only right that we support them! It was a great day, and we are excited to see the renovations take place.”

The Miracle League of Alexandria honored Tim Bryant, an employee of the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities – Sports Office for nearly 40 years, on Saturday, May 31.

Due to the rainy weather, the ceremony and Miracle League game were moved indoors to the Nannie J. Lee Center. Mac Slover, Chair and Bill Rivers, Secretary/Treasurer of the MLA honored Tim in front of the players, parents, volunteers, Recreation Department staff and supporters. Mac and Bill each spoke about working with Tim through the sports programs and the Miracle League. Tim worked under Slover’s leadership in the Sports Office from 2002 – 2017 and Tim knew Bill from him serving as a volunteer coach for over 20 years in the RPCA youth basketball program. Tim also assisted Mac and Bill when the Miracle League program first started in 2011 and still helps out with the league to this day.

Tim was presented with a framed certificate and a Washington Nationals jersey and hat as part of the support the miracle league receives from them. Tim then turned the tables on Bill and Mac when Tim presented his remarks. He passionately wrote a speech thanking Bill and Mac for their leadership in the community through the years, their friendship to him, but especially the work they have done over the years with the Miracle League and the special needs community in Alexandria. Slover stated, “Tim Bryant is one of the most passionate, kind, soft spoken, warm hearted and class person I have ever worked with or had the pleasure know. I love this man and how he has always been there for me and the children in the City of Alexandria whenever needed. Tim may be soft spoken, but he is a giant among men!”  Congratulations Tim on being a longtime friend to the Miracle League of Alexandria.

Below is Tim’s Tribute to Mac and Bill.

The Alexandria Miracle League Hall of Fame

I saw a seed being planted

I have been fortunate to see it grow

I know there were other planters

But there are two I personally know.

America has its MacDonald’s

They are located all over

Alexandria Miracle League has a Mac

With the last name of Slover.

America also has its rivers

They run through mountains and hills

Alexandria Miracle League has its Rivers

With the first name of Bill.

I have seen Mac and Bill work relentlessly

Through times when they were fatigued

They watered the seed that was planted

That has become the Alexandria Miracle League

The Miracle League has produced

Opportunities that may never have been given

It has brought joy and laughter to many

That says life is truly worth living.

Last Night I had a dream

That yours and each participant and workers name

Will someday forever be enshrined

In the Alexandria Miracle League Hall of Fame.

Written by Timothy L. Bryant

Overall, it was a wonderful ceremony and game that helped bring a terrific spring season to a close. 

Laura Fries, Vice Chair of the MLA, was recently selected as their volunteer representative for the Washington Nationals Team Up Day Festival on Sunday, June 8 at Nationals Park. Laura was selected due to her long time work with the miracle league, but especially her work with Brian’s Sensory Bag Program, the work with the recreation department and George Mason Elementary School on their sensory rooms, work at the youth and adult league games this past year. “Laura and her husband Jack have worked tirelessly for the MLA since its inception in 2011. Without Laura’s work and leadership, the MLA would not be as successful as we have been. She is a real treasure for our league and we are lucky she brings Jack along too” states Mac Slover, MLA Chair.

As the MLA representative at the Team Up Festival, Laura was chosen to present the Washington Nationals official lineup card to the umpires at home plate before the Nationals and Texas Rangers game. What an honor for Laura and the MLA to be recognized for her outstanding work with the Miracle League of Alexandria. Congratulations Laura!

The MLA players also attended the annual Team Up Festival along with the Therapeutic Recreation staff, families, and volunteers. Even though there was a rain delay, everyone had a terrific time pulling for the Nationals!

For the second time this spring season, the MLA received a donation of 15 sensory bags to distribute to the community in Alexandria. Calder Sherman, chose as part of his Bar Mitzvah Project, to support the Miracle League of Alexandria also. Calder loves baseball and chose to donate 15 of the smaller versions of the sensory bags to the league. The sensory bags outreach program implemented by the MLA earlier this year. Mac Slover, Chair of the MLA, stated “the MLA have been honored to have been chosen to be a part of two important Bar Mitzvah Projects this spring. We were very happy to be able to work with Elliott and Calder on their projects. It makes you feel the work we are doing for the special needs community in Alexandria means a lot to everyone, especially our young people too.”  

Calder received a certificate of appreciation and was received a Washington Nationals jersey/hat from the MLA. Like Elliott, Calder plays in the Alexandria Little League and was selected recently for the all-stars on their Intermediate team. They will be competing later in June in the District All-star games. Good luck to Calder in the all-stars. A special thank you goes out to Calder for the sensory bags and thinking of the MLA! 

Saturday, May 10 was a very special day for the Miracle League of Alexandria. Celebrating Mother’s Day at the Kelley Cares Miracle Field, MLA welcomed some wonderful special guests. Everyone was given a special Mother’s Day sticker to wear as we honored the mother’s in attendance and in our families.

Mayor Alyia Gaskins of Alexandria came out to attend the game (since she was unable to attend Opening Day in April). Mayor Gaskins was able to meet the Miracle League players, parents, volunteers, supporters, Sheri Jessell (scoreboard donor), Elliott Perry (sensory bags) and the ACHS Baseball team who also were on hand for the game. Mayor Gaskins was presented by Mac Slover, Chair of MLA with a Miracle League shirt/hat and a framed certificate for her support of the league. She then threw a STRIKE to player, Rorie Winkelman and an ACHS player. Mayor Gaskins then was able to stay and cheer on the players in the game. A special thank you to Mayor Gaskins for taking the time to come out and support our miracle league players!

Also visiting from out of town was our wonderful “Dan Jessell and Loey Seligman” Scoreboard donor, Sheri Jessell. Sheri was in town visiting friends and wanted to stop by and see our players and families before departing to travel back to Florida. Thank you Sheri for coming out to visit. We love you and your amazing family!

Another special guest to attend game was Elliott Perry, who as part of his Bar Mitzvah Project, chose to support the Miracle League of Alexandria. Elliott chose as his project to provide 15 more Brian’s Sensory Bags for the league.  The bags are part of the outreach program, the MLA implemented earlier this year. In February, the MLA donated 15 sensory bags to the Recreation Department to be used in the recreation centers. The sensory bags, supplied by the MLA with input and support of ACPS Special needs instructors and TR include items such as therapy putty, nonverbal communication cards, fidget toys and calming sensory items. “As part of the Miracle League of Alexandria’s Community Outreach Program, we are very proud to collaborate with the Recreation Department staff by providing each recreation center and afterschool program with a collection of hand-picked items that can be used to stimulate or soothe a child in distress,” said Mac Slover, chair of the Miracle League of Alexandria. Distribution locations include the recreation centers at Charles Barrett, Charles Houston, Chinquapin Park, Leonard “Chick” Armstrong, Durant Center, Buddie Ford Nature Center, Nannie J. Lee, Mount Vernon, Patrick Henry, William Ramsay and the afterschool programs at John Adams, Douglas MacArthur, Ferdinand T. Day, and Frances Hammond.  

Elliott was presented with a certificate of appreciation and given a Washington Nationals jersey/hat from the MLA, was able to meet Mayor Gaskins and Sheri Jessell, but was most excited to be able to serve as an Angel in the Outfield and to hang out with the players from the ACHS team. Elliott, who is Autistic and plays in the Alexandria Little League, was extremely excited to come out and will be coming back in the future. Thank you Elliott for such a warm, kind and thoughtful gift of the sensory bags and thinking of the MLA!  You are the best!

Lastly, for the second time this season, the ACHS Baseball team under the direction of Coach Zack Hecker and his coaching staff brought out players from the JV and Varsity teams. The players and coaches were simply amazing and easily interacted with the ML players. They were fun and engaged the ML players throughout them batting or fielding. The players looked after their ML player every step of the way and even coaching them how to throw and hit. The MLA is very fortunate to have a terrific working relationship with Coach Hecker and his teams.  Thank you again Titans!  Good luck in the playoffs.

*Pictures provided by Alex Perry and Laura Fries

Lucas Ness, MLA youth player, his family and Mac Slover, Chair of MLA  traveled to the rescheduled 2024 Miracle League National All-Star Games, May 2 – 4 in Covington, Georgia at the Newton County Miracle League Field. The original date was set last October, but due to Hurricane Helena causing destruction in Georgia, the all-star games were rescheduled to this weekend. 

The yearly all-star games will feature seven games with over 120 participants from the Miracle Leagues across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico and now Australia. This was the sixth year for the National Miracle League All-Star games (except for 2020 – due to Covid). Thus far, the MLA have taken league participants to the games in Findley, Ohio, Sioux City, Iowa, Houston, Texas, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, West Palm Beach, Florida and now in Covington, Georgia.

Lucas and his family were very excited for him to participating in the national all-stars.

It was be a weekend full of activities, games and awards for all the players. It will all begin on Friday night with the opening ceremony. Prior to the parade of teams, the Lucas and his family met his teammates from the Texas Ranger’s team. All the players, league directors and parents were provided with free food and ice cream along with free activities geared towards the players and their families.

Saturday, Lucas and his Ranger teammates played a fun and exciting game against the Cardinals Saturday morning. Lucas will had a good time playing and had a local “Angel in the Outfield” Buddie to assist him during the game. He was a very happy player and really enjoyed playing with other participants from across the country.

Saturday night, the festivities concluded with the annual awards ceremony and dinner for the players, families and Miracle League Directors. It was a wonderful end to an awesome Saturday!

The Miracle League of Alexandria was proud to be able to see another one of our participants achieve success, feel great about what they have accomplished and have the experience of a lifetime playing baseball. This will be a weekend of memories for Lucas and his family. 

Congratulations Lucas, we are all proud of you!

The 2025 National Miracle League All-Star game will be held in St. Louis, Missouri in September.