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Highlands Today

Miracle League

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By Rick Hitt

Published: October 14, 2007

Oct. 6 was a great day. The first practice for the Miracle Baseball League took place in Lake Placid at Lake June Park.

Six teams, divided on three fields, took their best shot at hitting, throwing, fielding and getting around the bases, with many volunteers and buddies on hand to assist. Thirty-three of those volunteers were the players and coaches from South Florida Community College Baseball.

Each coach took 10 players to each field to lend a hand. The players and coaches assisted while each athlete took their turn practicing all aspects of America's greatest game. It is hard sometimes to put into words what certain situations at certain moments mean, but Saturday was easy: Joy.

The committee of people who worked to organize this league, John, John, Saundra and the entire committee of folks are to be commended for their efforts.

In this life we all feel some form of joy daily, weekly, monthly, but there really is not a greater feeling than helping to bring joy to the lives of others.

The great game of baseball played at the highest level (MLB) has so many negative distractions these days; steroids, player arrests, player suspensions, poor sportsmanship, that it makes you wonder how those great games in the "sand lot" ever evolved into what we have today.

That is what Saturday was like, a great game of sand lot ball where you show up, choose up teams and just play. And for the time you are out there nothing else really matters, except the game and those who are playing it. What mattered on Saturday the most were the ones who were playing the game. The joy that was experienced could have a lasting effect on the lives of the athletes from each team. It was truly an experience that the players and coaches at SFCC will not soon forget.

A thank you to all who helped to put on this day and who will continue to help put on the rest of the season for the Miracle League. Thank you for your efforts and for your invitation to assist with this worthy cause.

Play ball!

Rick Hitt

S.F.C.C. Head Baseball Coach

Avon Park

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