The City of Murfreesboro and Project One Four teamed together to bring a Miracle Field to Murfreesboro.  The field is located at the front of McKnight Park.

There is something about playing the game that lights up a person’s eyes.  But for children and adults facing serious physical and mental disabilities that opportunity can often be difficult to achieve.  Baseball diamonds weren’t exactly designed with wheelchairs and crutches in mind.

The Miracle League removes the barriers that keep children with mental and physical disabilities off the baseball field and lets them experience the joy of America’s favorite pastime. Since the main barriers for these adults arise from the natural grass fields used in conventional leagues, Miracle League teams play on a custom-designed, rubberized turf field that accommodates wheelchairs and other assertive devices while helping to prevent injuries.

But it’s more than playing a game. The Miracle League is about making new friends, building self-esteem and being treated just like other athletes.  To help the athletes, the Miracle League uses a “buddy” system – pairing each player with an able-bodied peer.  The result is a bond that cannot be described. The Miracle League serves children and adults who suffer from any physical or mental disabilities, which causes them to be excluded, whether intentionally or not, from conventional Baseball leagues.

Our project specifically incorporates a variety of features within the Miracle Field Complex.  The Miracle Field itself includes a covered seating area, restroom building, and concession building.  Other features include a standard baseball/softball field, an open synthetic turf area containing a timed 20-yard dash track, and an inclusive playground.  The latter is a special playground system that includes equipment that enables play for all abilities (e.g. a teeter-totter for wheel chairs).

The complex also includes a main plaza with a central kugel ball water feature (the sphere is a representative of a baseball with David Price’s signature) and two donor walls.  Additionally, the complex includes picnic tables and benches throughout.