Miracle League of the Albemarle Sound to play 1st game

HERTFORD — A baseball league for kids with special needs will play the first game of its inaugural season in Hertford on Saturday.

The Miracle League of the Albemarle Sound will play its first game on a field at the Perquimans County Recreation Center at 9 a.m. Subsequent league games will played at the rec center on four successive Saturdays.

According to Skip Hawkins, the Miracle League’s founder, the new league has attracted 19 area young people ages 6-19 — enough to field two teams.

Each team will have volunteer coaches and one pitcher, and community children and volunteers will serve as “buddies” to assist the players.

According to Hawkins, the rules for Miracle League games are simple:

• There are two innings per game with no outs.

• Every player bats once each inning.

• All players are safe on the bases.

• Every player scores a run before the inning is over, and the last batter up gets a home run.

• Each team and each player wins every game.

The Miracle League of Albemarle Sound, one of more than 350 similar leagues across the United States, is designed for kids ages 5-19 who have a range of intellectual or mobility challenges. The concept of Miracle Leagues began in Georgia in 1998.

Hawkins, who lives in Hertford, began organizing a local Miracle League last year, after moving to the area. He had spent time volunteering with the Miracle League of Johnston County from 2013-19, and thought something similar could work here, especially after learning how big a sport baseball is in the area.

“It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done,” Hawkins told The Daily Advance last spring in an interview, discussing his work with the Miracle League of Johnston County. “A lot of times, you get so attached to these kids after a few years.”

Hawkins said through fundraising, the Miracle League of Johnston County was able to open a Miracle League Field in 2018 and now has enough players to field two teams of youngsters under 13 and two teams for youngsters over 13.

After talking to Albemarle area school officials, Hawkins said he learned that there are anywhere from 120 to 160 kids eligible to join the league he was forming here. He figured that 10% of that figure — “10-15 kids” — would be a good starting point. The Miracle League of the Albemarle Sound’s first game will feature 19 players.

Currently, the league draws players from Chowan, Pasquotank and Perquimans counties, but Hawkins is hoping kids from other neighboring counties will join as the league moves forward. The more kids that join, the likelier it becomes the league can add more teams and create age limits for teams, he said.

“The thrill of playing, the cheers from the stands, and the friendships they develop make the Miracle League an oasis away from their everyday battles,” he said.

One of the keys to the Miracle League are its “buddies” who assist the players, Hawkins said.

“These buddies can be mainstream children who play baseball, youth church groups, Boy and Girl Scouts, to mention a few,” he said. “We also utilize civic groups, first responders, businesses, and high school and college teams.”

He noted that the Campbell University baseball team has played an annual game with the Miracle League teams in Smithfield since at least 2013. Campbell’s men’s basketball and women’s softball teams also recently joined as buddies.

“As a result, the parents, children and volunteers are all brought together — special needs and mainstream alike — in a program which serves them all through service to children with special needs,” he said.

Among those with whom Hawkins has worked to get the Miracle League organized include Lori Heginbotham, exceptional children’s director for the Edenton-Chowan Schools; Howard Williams, director of Perquimans County Parks and Recreation; Dr. Kaneka Griffin, exceptional children’s program director for the Perquimans County Schools; Kelly MacPherson, exceptional children’s program director for the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools; and Vivian Sutton, president of Hertford Savings Bank.

To learn more about the league, join The Miracle League of Albemarle Sound Facebook group. He can also be reached by phone at 919-630-3111 or email at skipis1@yahoo.com.