Why this fantasy camp meant more for Pirates Charities, Miracle League of Southwestern Pennsylvania

It seems like just yesterday that Franklin Park native Fred Roberts learned about the Miracle League of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

When his son Jack was around 8 years old, Roberts heard about a new baseball league in town that focused on inclusion, allowing everyone to experience baseball.

Fast forward 16 years. Jack Roberts is 24 and obsessed with baseball, all because of the partnership between Pirates Charities and the Miracle League of Southwestern Pennsylvania (MLSWPA).

“You play a sport, then watch your hometown team on TV, it becomes a cycle,” Fred Roberts said. “We’ve gone to so many Pirates games. He loves it.

“As a parent and member of the community, we’re grateful for the support. But it’s such a simple program, a simple idea and a lot of fun. It’s also amazing that, after all these years, it keeps snowballing and getting bigger.”

An indication of that growth came Saturday, as the two organizations again partnered for a fantasy camp for 55 Miracle League athletes featuring Pirates players, coaches and executives.

Along with various members of the Miracle League of Southwestern Pennsylvania, hundreds of people packed Graham Park in Cranberry Township for an anniversary of the first such field in the area.

Since opening in May 2009, the Miracle League Field at Graham Park makes it possible for children and adults in wheelchairs and walkers and with other special needs to participate and move about safely.

While the clinic involved four different stations, focusing on hitting, pitching, fielding and baserunning skills, those involved in creating this couldn’t help but reflect on the past 17 years and how far everything has come.

More than 500 youth and adults participate in three divisions: Miracle Division, for youth between the ages of 5 and 17; Competitive Division, for youth between the ages of 5 and 17 with more advanced skills; and an Adult Division, for participants 18 years of age and older.

“We get to show up and do the fun stuff, but I know the real work gets done by everyone here, by all of the volunteers and people who bring this field alive,” said Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting. “It really has been a remarkable journey here with the Miracle League of Southwestern Pennsylvania.”

Since 2008, Nutting and Pirates Charities have partnered with nine community organizations across three states, building custom-designed fields that feature accessible dugouts and flat surfaces to eliminate any barriers to wheelchair-bound or visually impaired players.

This particular endeavor started back in 2007, when Miracle League of Southwestern Pennsylvania president Mike Sherry petitioned Cranberry officials to carve out space in Graham Park and then helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars and rounded up enough volunteers to make it all work.

Sherry’s daughter Jordan, who’s autistic, was 3 at the time when he approached Nutting and Pirates Charities, pitching a partnership. Little did either side know what this would become.

“That helped me get started with the journey, but what changed the way I thought about it was watching the families interact, the kids smiling and to have fields just for them.

“Since then, it has opened my eyes to all the challenges for accessibility and inclusion, for not only these kids but throughout the community.

“We try really hard at the ballpark to make sure you can get in and out with a wheelchair, that you have sightlines as good as everyone else, to make sure you don’t feel like you’re going up in a special corner, that you feel like you’re part of the community, just like this is part of Graham Park.”

Before the clinic started, Sherry turned toward Pirates players in attendance and reminded them of the responsibility they’d be taking on, how he still has pictures of Charlie Morton, Neil Walker and Freddy Sanchez in his game room from when Jordan was younger and how the kids who participated Saturday will likely do the same.

Sherry also explained what a respite something like the Miracle League can be for those affected, where everyone gets the chance to enjoy baseball.

“This is so impactful for our players, particularly a lot of them with the challenges they face throughout the day and throughout the week,” Sherry said. “This gives them an opportunity to sit back and enjoy life a little bit. We’re so appreciative of the Pirates, Bob and what you guys bring to the table.”

The Miracle League players had fun, but a tremendous turnout from the Pirates might’ve given them a run for their money.

Members of the coaching staff Cam Balego, Stephen Morales and Jordan Comadena manned the baserunning station. Esmerlyn Valdez, Ronny Simon and Konnor Griffin taught hitting. Jake Mangum, Brandon Lowe and manager Don Kelly worked on fielding, while Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller and Isaac Mattson supervised the pitching area.

“The first time I got introduced to the Miracle League was in Baton Rouge,” Skenes said. “It’s kind of a big thing. Obviously we do it down in Florida, too. It’s good that everybody is getting a chance to enjoy it. It makes a difference.”

While Mangum didn’t stop signing, posing for pictures or doing whatever any athlete wanted, he also chatted with parents a bunch about what the Pirates mean to the community.

“They’re all big Pirates fans and pulling for us,” Mangum said. “It’s really special.”

Leave it to Brandon Lowe to have the most perspective. Sure, the Pirates’ past few weeks haven’t been easy. But they pale in comparison to what most Miracle League families deal with on a daily basis.

Lowe also couldn’t help but crack a joke about hearing Morton’s name mentioned, one of his former teammates with the Tampa Bay Rays. Makes him feel old, Lowe said.

“As you go through the season, baseball can beat the crap out of you,” Lowe said. “Not that you lose your love of it, but it dulls maybe a little bit. You come out here and see all these smiles, the energy they have for playing the game, it centers you and helps you remember how cool it is what we get to do it.

“To think in five or 10 years they’ll be doing the same thing and there are new players coming through, like, ‘Hey, we still remember when Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller and Konnor Griffin were out here.’ It’s just cool to be a little bit of a light on a random Saturday morning.”

Jason Mackey: Jason.Mackey@pirates.com and @JMackey_PGH on X.