This summer, everyone in Genesee County has the chance to play baseball.
Nearly a decade in the making, the Miracle League of Greater Flint is preparing for its first full season of barrier-free baseball designed specifically for children with any physical or cognitive disability.
And the legions of volunteers, donors, and supporters who brought this dream to life couldn’t be happier.
“It’s literally their turn at bat,” said Bernie Romain, league fundraising chairperson. “For too long, kids with disabilities have sat behind the backstops and watched others play; now it’s their time to shine.”
This field of dreams began nine years ago when Brian Caine, a then-15-year-old Grand Blanc High School student and baseball player, wondered why Flint didn’t have a Miracle League like other cities. So, he withdrew $500 from his own savings to pay for a local charter, and the Miracle League of Greater Flint was born.
The Miracle League is a nonprofit organization that removes the barriers keeping people with mental and physical disabilities off the baseball field and lets them experience the joy of America’s favorite pastime. There are more than 350 official Miracle League fields in the U.S. and Canada.
Caine, now 24, never imagined how individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies would rally around the idea – and pitch in the $872,000 needed to construct the barrier-free ballfield in Mundy Township’s Mundy Miracle Commons.
From hundreds of dollars raised at bake sales to tens of thousands contributed by local foundations, the Genesee County community came through with flying colors.
“Our community is the reason we have a league today,” Caine said. “Over the course of nine years, the community has realized the need to have accessible recreation for all and so many have stepped up to the plate in order to make this happen.”
Romain, who is also Caine’s grandfather, spearheaded fundraising for the field that covered dugouts, a backstop, fencing, and lighting. Along with $300,000 in private donations, major grants included $250,000 from the Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund, $239,000 from the Genesee County Board of Commissioners, and $75,000 from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
Raising that kind of money wouldn’t have been possible without overwhelming community support, public-private partnerships, and the teamwork between the Miracle League of Greater Flint and Mundy Township, said Chad Young, Mundy Township manager.
“Our mission since the founding of Mundy Miracle Commons has been to build the Miracle League field and to turn the Miracle Commons and Mundy Township into a regional attraction to draw people to Genesee County and provide the opportunity for public recreation for people with all abilities,” Young said.
“It’s a very big goal that’s been realized and, personally, the most rewarding project of my professional career.”
Mundy Township has transformed the 100-acre parcel off Hill Road near I-75 and US-23 into the largest municipally owned and operated ADA (Americans with Disability Act)/universal design park in Michigan. In addition to the Miracle League Field, Mundy Miracle Commons features a Japanese garden, two miles of wooded walking/ biking trails, a sledding hill, meditation areas, pavilions, a concession stand, and barrier-free restrooms. Expansion plans include the addition of an accessible playscape, wellness center, senior center, and more trails.
“Everything from the driveway and parking lots to the walking trails, the field, and the other recreational amenities, including the bathrooms, are designed with the goal of exceeding the ADA requirements,” Young said.
Mundy Township hopes to break ground this summer on a new amphitheater and stage designed and planned in partnership with The Disability Network, following universal accessibility standards. It will allow the park to host musical and theatrical entertainment performed and attended by people of all abilities.
This fall, the Consumers Energy Foundation awarded Mundy Township $250,000 in grant funding for the amphitheater project.
“Accessible parks and inviting green spaces are a vital part of any thriving community,” said Brandon Hofmeister, president of the Consumers Energy Foundation.
But the Miracle Field is at the heart of Mundy Miracle Commons.
Since the main physical barriers in conventional baseball leagues often arise from natural grass fields, Miracle League teams play on a custom-designed, rubberized surface that accommodates wheelchairs and other adaptive equipment. Other features include a reduced distance from home plate to center field, bases painted into the rubberized surface to reduce tripping hazards, and assistive devices for batting.
Anyone who’s participated agrees the Miracle League is about more than playing a game. It’s about making new friends, building self-esteem, and being treated just like other athletes in a supportive environment.
The games are unique, too: Every player bats and scores once per inning and is safe on bases. They also use a “buddy” system, pairing each player with a volunteer to help them navigate the field.
While the Miracle League of Greater Flint is geared toward children and teens, adults with disabilities and the public are welcome to use the field when it is available. Romain said he hopes to one day organize travel baseball with nearby Miracle League teams in Midland, Bridgeport, Lake Orion, and Southfield.
Caine, who now serves as league director for Greater Flint, says he can’t wait for baseball season.
“I’m super excited to see kids and adults, many who never had the chance to play baseball before, now be able to enjoy the game I grew up loving,” Caine said. “When you come to a Miracle League of Greater Flint game, you’re going to see excitement, joy, and, of course, miracles.”