Longview’s Miracle League baseball receives donation

LONGVIEW, Texas (KLTV) - It’s a spring day in East Texas and baseball is being played by a group of kids that would normally not have a league of their own.

At Longview’s Lear Park, Miracle League baseball got underway. Singles, doubles, grand slams! The sound of cheering fans accented the baseball games taking place.

“This is their chance to participate in a sport that everybody loves, and we have a great time out here,” said league organizer Tisa Wilson. “It’s a wonderful time.”

The Miracle League offers a specially designed ballpark for physically and mentally challenged kids to come out and play the great American pastime.

“It’s adaptive baseball. We have a special field that’s completely flat, so a child can go on the bases and not trip,” Wilson said.

But, maintaining the special field is expensive.

“Our fields are supposed to last for about 10 years, and we’re on year seven. It’s going to be expensive. We’ve set our goal on $100,000 over the next three years,” Tisa said.

That’s why the Longview chapter of the Knights of Pythias showed up to donate $1,000 to the league.

“Is there anything we can do to help kids in our community? We want to get involved in that. I was mesmerized when it saw it. You know, the support of the community,” said Knights of Pythias member Mickey Couture.

The group makes possible a few moments in time, for these kids to come and live out a dream, to be no different from any other kid and play baseball.

“What a great opportunity to come out and be with others and get some accolades, get some cheers,” Couture said.

“They get cheered for. There’s nothing like getting cheered for in any place in life,” Wilson said.

The Miracle League plays every Saturday at Lear Park. The season in Longview runs through May 6.

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