by: John J. Buro | Senior Writer - NY Sports Day

ALLENTOWN, PA. - Ray Kinsella once parlayed his Iowa property into his very own field of dreams. In Heidelberg Township, there is a similar field, which creates dreams of another kind.

When a Lehigh Valley group consisting of Lee Butz, Linny Fowler, David Jaindl and Kostas Kalogeropoulos met last December to form Pennsylvania's only branch of the Miracle League, it was with one thought in mind.

To give back to a community that has given to them.

"Just this past Christmas," said Executive Director Dan McKinney, "they got together, watched the video on the Miracle League website, and decided to bring it back to the Valley.

"My role was to coordinate everyone who wanted be involved. And, through the help of Good Shepherd, Easter Seals, Cindy Miles & Associates and Bayada Nurses, we recruited over 110 players and 170 volunteers for our league."

"In turn, those organizations got the word out," added Chuck Frantz, President of the Lehigh Valley Yankee Fan Club, "through the Special Olympics and schools for the handicapped."

When winter broke, the group's plan took form. And, on the 100th day of construction, a $1.57 million dollar facility was completed on five acres of land donated by the Jaindl family- ensuring that children with special needs would be able to play baseball.

"We have raised all but $400,000 to build this field," McKinney proudly stated.

Eight years earlier, the non-profit organization had originated in Conyers, Georgia and has been quite successful in the interim. Richmond.com reported that, through January 2006, the Miracle League has 125 organizations throughout the country; in all, more than 60 sites are under construction and more than 30 have already broke ground in addition to the 27 sites that have been completed.

"These are kids," McKinney, 40, pointed out, "who can't play in a typical Little League. Often, they have to sit in the stands while their siblings play. What we've done is flip the script. Now, their siblings watch them.

"Just giving these kids a chance to be kids is what it's all about."

"This is so great for our community," Frantz observed. "When you see the reaction of the kids, and their parents all the smiles- it's worth it. They can't wait to come back. Some of these kids are here even when they're not scheduled to play. They just want to look at the field."

Allowing children the opportunity to play baseball has become the league's philosophy. Thus, every effort has been made to ensure their safety. The cushioned synthetic turf, which spans approximately 150ft from line to line, will prevent injuries, as both home plate and the bases are built into the playing surface. The complex also includes an electronic scoreboard and wheelchair-accessible dugout, as well as a circular parking area for easy drop-off. A concession stand, picnic pavilion and adjoining restrooms are added amenities.

From the beginning of August until the end of September, games will be played each Wednesday and Saturday, with start times of 6:00 pm and 7:15 pm.

"We're two weeks into the season," said McKinney, the father of a healthy two-year old, "and the response has been bigger than we thought it would be. So, I am continuously counting my blessings.

"Take a look around. The parking lot is jammed. We've got close to 250 people in the stands. We expected 60 kids to play this first year; we�ve got double that. That's a testament to the people of the Lehigh Valley, who have supported this from the beginning.

"It's because of our volunteers, and people with kind hearts, that this works," he lauded. "Without them, we just couldn't do it."

One such volunteer is Ed Bartholomew, a former semi-pro player who now sits on the league�s Board of Directors.

"Wherever you walk," he said, "there are smiling faces. This place affords children the opportunity to get some air, to laugh, to partake. And that's invaluable.

"Inside their heart, their soul, this means something to them. Why it has taken so long [to do something like this], I can't say. But, I can see this transcend from a baseball field to a football field to a soccer field to a basketball court."

Here, rules are virtually non-existent. The league is comprised of eight teams with 13 children apiece. Everyone bats during an inning. All base runners are safe and each one will score before the inning is over, including the last to hit. Volunteers - many of them from the LVYFC - serve as 'buddies' to assist the players; quite naturally, the Fan Club has adopted the Yankee entry into the league.

Five year-old Carson [at his parents� requests, the surname has been withheld] was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism which is most characterized by a lack of communication skills, at the age of three.

Yet, compared to some other children, Carson's condition is not all that severe. He can walk and run, though his clumsiness causes him to fall on occasion. And he's always looking for someone to play catch with.

"Carson has been excited about playing on a baseball team," said Maureen, his mother. "Having a jersey and a number. Just to be included in this is huge for him.

"He�s starting to learn about the game. But, already, he walking around with a smile on his face and saying, "I'm a baseball player. I'm on the Mets. I wear number seven."

"These kids need to enjoy the same things every kid does. And this is a chance to do that," added his father Bob, as Carson crossed the plate with the game's first run.

It was the first of many.

"I expect, by next spring," McKinney predicted, "the number of participants to be in the 200 range. And, in addition to a largely expanded league for kids, we also plan to provide an all-inclusive adult league in the Lehigh Valley starting in 2007. Adults tend to get lost in the shuffle. When they reach 21, many of them have nowhere to go."

After all the runs, and all the smiles, it was time to pack it in.

"When I leave here," Bartholomew offered, "I take a look at life, with all its day-to-day struggles, and say, "It's not that bad." The world ought to take a look at [what we're doing].

"It just may be a better place."