PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
NICK
BRUMBACH/
MIRACLE
LEAGUE
OF
SAN
DIEGO
Shining Stars and Baseball Diamonds
Miracle League puts players of all abilities in the game
P
LAY BALL!" IT'S A PHRASE THAT
evokes images of sun shining on brilliant
green baseballs fields and promises
excitement at every turn on the diamond.
And for 15 years, Miracle League of San
Diego has made good on that promise for
people with disabilities throughout San
Diego County, inviting players aging from five to over 40 to
experience the joy of America's pastime not from the stands,
but as part of the action. Playing in two locations — Engel
Family Field in Solana Beach's San Dieguito Park in North
County and Bell Middle School to the south — the league
engages hundreds of players and their families for two
seasons each year with Saturdays filled with joy, inclusion,
and camaraderie.
Comprised of 22 total teams across both locations, Miracle
League's players participate in two-inning games where
everyone bats and rounds the bases, and the final score
is always a tie. Volunteer buddies support each player on
and off the field, offering parents a rare, hands-off chance
to sit back and be fans in the stands. "ese are our best
Saturdays," says Lisa Pathman, whose son Riley, 23, who
has cerebral palsy, has played in the league for more than ten
years. "Everyone wins, and no one can leave in a bad mood
after seeing the pure joy and happiness on all the baseball
Focus
philanthropy
BY DEANNA MURPHY
@ranchandcoast ranchandcoast.com
46 MARCH 2022 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE
Miracle League creates an
opportunity for athletes spanning a
broad range of ages and abilities to
enjoy the game of baseball
