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Miracle League players receive the star treatment

By Eleanor Bailey almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.Net 12 min read
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Eleanor bailey/ The Almanac

Mike Magulick shows Ethan Arbuckle how to throw a pitch during the fantasy baseball camp.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Sean Casey, left, shares a laugh with Pirates coaches Tom Prince (14) and Kimera Bartee (18) during a break in the action at the Fantasy Camp held over the weekend at the Upper St. Clair Miracle League field.

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Jacob Hazlett takes his swings during batting practice at the Fantsay Camp

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Nick Berger works on his batting technique with Andrew Casey

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Pirates pitcher Trevor Williams shows his mean face to the all-stars that participated in a recent fantasy baseball camp held in conjunction with the Miracle League’s All-Star Weekend.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Sophie Hart receives a rousing welcome when announced during the festivities surrounding the Miracle League All-Star weekend.

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Clay Holmes signs an autograph for Chase Lauer during the Fantasy Camp.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Frank Coonelly addresses the crowd at the Pirates Charities Fantasy Baseball Camp at the Miracle League of South Hills.

During the Pittsburgh Pirates Charities All-Star Weekend held Aug. 16-18 in Upper St. Clair, 80 children and young adults from 10 different Miracle Leagues from across the country received the royal treatment.

Wearing replicas of the jerseys worn by Pittsburgh’s Major League Baseball franchise with their names emblazoned on the back, each special-needs athlete received a big-league introduction during the kickoff festivities, participated in a Pirates Fantasy Camp, battled in a home run derby, played in competitive and noncompetitive league all-star games and attended the Pirates game against the Chicago Cubs.

“They are all-stars,” Mike Magulick said. “We are probably treating them the way they should be treated all the time.”

Magulick will be able to help others with physical, mental and cognitive disorders, experience the joys of athletics through the partnership with the Pirates. The Bethel Park graduate is involved in the Miracle League Complex being constructed in Moon Township.

The baseball field is slated to be finished in October, but the hope is also to add football, soccer, golf and yoga,” Magulick said.

“Because we know some people don’t like baseball,” he said.

Magulick said the Pirates deserve a lot of credit for the success of the Miracle League facility. He said when his organization got started it was just a board “with a vision” until the Pirates became involved.

“You cannot underestimate how important they have been,” Magulick said. “Without them, there is no chance we would have this.”

According to Jackie Hunter, who has been involved with Pirates Charities for eight years, the Miracle League is one of the organization’s “signature” programs. The Pirates have been involved in the Miracle League of the South Hills since 2009 and have participated in 10 different Miracle League openings. And while Miracle League All-Star weekends have been held in the past, it was the first time Upper St. Clair Township hosted such an event.

“We are so excited to provide the opportunity to bring baseball to kids of all ages and abilities,” Hunter said. “You can see on the faces of the kids that it’s a special opportunity for them.”

It’s equally special for the players, coaches and front office staff that attended the festivities.

“They love doing this,” Hunter said. “It’s a great time for them to come out and have fun and be kids, too. The interaction that they get to have is really special.”

Pirates coaches Tom Prince, Kimera Bartee and Joe Cora attended the event along with players Clay Holmes, Steven Brault, Geoff Hartlieb and Trevor Williams. The players and coaches participated in the fantasy camp, providing instruction on pitching, batting, catching fly balls and running the bases.

Clad in a dark business suit, Pirates president Frank Coonelly also participated in the festivities, tossing baseballs to the athletes in the 90-degree heat. Coonelly emphasized the mission of the event: to celebrate the athletes and make sure that it was understood how they care about them and care about them playing the “great game” of baseball.

“There are so many wonderful things that we learn from our game and these kids are all stars,” he said. “They are great teammates and they care about their teammates. Most importantly, they have fun and bring joy through the great game of baseball.”

Coonelly said the organization’s own mission is to change lives through Pirates baseball and the Miracle League and their association with it accomplishes that goal.

“It is one of the great ways that we do change lives by baseball,” he said.

Ten years ago, Sean Casey did just that in Upper St. Clair.

Along with his wife, Mandi, he helped co-found Miracle League of the South Hills, which is located within Boyce-Mayview Park. The USC graduate and resident played Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Pirates, Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox. The former first baseman is now an MLB Network broadcaster.

Casey said the idea for the Miracle League has exceeded his “wildest dreams” and the all-star event was exactly the experience he expected for the players.

“All the things that continue to happen to this place just brings joy. It brings a smile,” he said. “I believe that life is about perspective and this place just brings perspective. It really does. It’s really cool to just be a part of it. It’s been wonderful and the all-star weekend was such a special experience. We wanted to make sure that the kids left here with a the memory of ‘wow, that was unbelievable.'”

The Miracle Field transformed for the weekend into an “amazing” replica of PNC Park. The outfield features a backdrop that includes the Roberto Clemente Bridge in left field and the panoramic view fans see at the stadium, which includes the Highmark Building and Point State Park fountain where the three rivers converge.

In addition to baseball activities, the event featured USC police, fire and emergency vehicles on display, airbrush tattoos, balloon artists, caricaturists, cornhole competition, a photo booth and speed pitch machine as well as fun and games at the Casey Clubhouse playground.

All-star games featured 80 Miracle League All-Stars from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Florida.

“The weekend was very important,” said Tim Gebhart, director of the Miracle League of South Hills, “because it brought together all the Miracle Leagues that the Pirates Charities support together and it really shows that we are one league. All kids and adults with disabilities have a chance to play around the nation and bringing them together to interact together, to be able to participate on teams together, I think is very important.”

And very personal added Magulick. He and his wife, Christina, have three children: Jack, 6; Luke, 4; and Max, eight weeks. Luke has a genetic condition and Magulick said the Miracle League is personal to everyone that attended the all-star weekend activities. He noted when player introductions were announced his was not the only teary-eye in the crowd.

“I was one of the many people crying,” he said. “A lot of these kids when they were born, people didn’t think they would be able to play baseball and they are an all-star today.”

With big league hopes and dreams they went to bat. Nick Berger, who boasted about his batting abilities, said he “wanted to hit the ball so hard and scare the coach.”

Though he admitted hockey is his favorite sport and that he “loved” the Pittsburgh Penguins, Noah Stine said he had a “lot of fun” participating in the fantasy camp and all-star weekend.

“It was awesome to hit and play here,” said the 16-year-old all-star.

Tim Gebhart believes in the “Buddy System.” So do Andrew and Jake Casey.

At the Miracle League of South Hills, its implementation proves beyond beneficial. On every team, every player has a one-to-one buddy ratio and that enables special-needs and physically-challenged athletes to enjoy and play the game of baseball.

“It provides an opportunity for everybody to play baseball,” said Gebhart. The director for Miracle League of South Hills added a bonus. “It also provides an opportunity to grow friendships.”

Gebhart said the buddy system doesn’t just support inclusion it hopefully enables the participants the chance to see each other outside the baseball field. He noted that the older individuals may see each other in school or share a meal at the lunch table.

“It develops friendships and really passes along being a good person and recognizing that everybody is important,” Gebhart said.

Jake Casey agreed. He and his brother, Andrew, volunteer every weekend at the South Hills League. They are both standout athletes, participating in baseball and basketball, at Upper St. Clair High School.

“It’s better when they are older because you can interact more with them and you understand them better,” said Jake of the players. “Some of them look up to you more, too.”

That recollection is not lost on Andrew, who stands 6 feet, 6 inches. “It is awesome coming out and helping,” he said of his volunteerism. “It’s really cool seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces. I love it. It’s something I look forward to doing.”

The Casey brothers look forward to one day playing professional baseball as their father, Sean, did for several Major League clubs, including the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates. They also hope to be involved in their community as adults.

“Yes,” they said they hoped to play professionally some day, but they agreed it’s “very important” to give back.

Even though he grew up in Mt. Lebanon, David Hall gives back to Upper St. Clair, the community in which he now resides with his family. Hall, who was involved with the Miracle League of the South Hills from the ground floor, also sees the value in the system as his son, Buddy, has Down’s Syndrome. Hall says the buddy system is a bridge because at an early age it builds incredible perspective in those normal kids paired up with a player.

“Normally someone looks at my kid Buddy and they say ‘oh, that’s a kid with Down’s. No. No. No,” Hall said. “This is Buddy Hall and they get to know the personality behind this kid and the condition, the autism, the cerebral palsy, etc. That is an invaluable learning lesson for these kids at an early age, that whatever condition that these children have, these special needs programs, they are not the condition. They are not going to be defined by it and they should not be defined by the condition.

“They are individuals. They have wishes, wants. They have personalities and characteristics. They are fascinating kids and without this bridge normal kids don’t get that appreciation.”

Sean Casey credits his vision for the Miracle League of South Hills to two influential people-David Hall and Tim Gebhart.

A baseball standout at Mt. Lebanon High School and Penn State University, Hall is a member of the Miracle League’s executive board. The treasurer was on the ground floor when Casey and his wife, Mandi, endeavored to start the project, which not only provides a field for those with special needs to play baseball but also includes Casey’s Clubhouse, an inclusive, wheelchair-accessible, one-of-a-kind playground that brings kids of all abilities together.

“Without Dave, we couldn’t have done this,” Casey said. “He got me in the door because he knew so many people.”

David knew one particular individual that would benefit from such an endeavor. His son, Buddy, has Down’s Syndrome. He played out of Cranberry before the field in Upper St. Clair came to fruition. Hall said from a “selfish” point of view he thought it was a great idea because it reduced his travel time but he also felt there was a need to link the project with the community as they do in the North Hills.

“For as much benefit that plays out for these kids across the region who play this game, the benefit is exponential for the non-kids,” he said.

He explained how on weekends he and his wife often watched their daughters, Lexi and Katie, play soccer “like normal parents” but that didn’t exist for most special-needs children. Before the Miracle League, Buddy was never able to play a sport.

“So the Miracle League provides that opportunity for a brief outlet, once a week or more, to normalize things and make that kid feel like ‘hey, i’m doing the same thing my sibling are doing. I spent hours and hours watching my sisters and now I’m able to play. Here’s my moment in the sun’. For these kids, it’s an incredibly powerful and sustaining value that makes life seem like I’m part of the mainstream,” Hall said.

Gebhart became part of the Miracle League mainstream also through his acquaintance with Casey. For eight years, the St. Louis native traveled the world teaching baseball “The Ripken Way”worked alongside Hall of Fame shortstop Cal Ripken Jr and his brother, Bill, a 12-year pro. Gebhart helped start Sean Casey’s Champions Camp, which helped raise funds for the field and playground located in Boyce Bayview Park. As the friendship blossomed, Casey asked Gebhart to take over his league. Gebhart and his wife, Angie, moved to USC in 2016. Gebhart is now the director of the Miracle League of South Hills.

“Tim has been a Godsend for us,” Casey said. “It’s truly his baby. All the people who come here to use this field, the playground,” Casey continued, “come anytime during the day. Even when nothing is going on, people are still using this facility. It’s been great.”

The Miracle League of the South Hills, its field and its playground at the pride of the community and the three pals and partners hope it continues to be an important part of where they live and play. Casey said the “vision” down the road was that the facility and programs continue to grow and impact the community, the kids and the families that are all part of it.

“We want to continue to have it all about the kids and the community,” he said. “We’ll see where that will take us.”

As far as Hall is concerned, already it has taken him, the players and the township far beyond expectations.

“It’s irreplaceable and it’s going to affect us and we are going to be part of this for the rest of our lives,” he said.

“For St. Clair, this community, I think it has had a profound impact. And the response by the community in supporting what we have done here is second to known. It’s a credit to everybody in the community.”

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