"Westchester plans to turn a corner of Ridge Road Park in Hartsdale into the county’s first baseball field designed specifically for kids with disabilities. The new field will be the result of a partnership between Westchester County and the Miracle League, a national non-profit organization which aims to make baseball accessible to every child, regardless of disability. County Executive Andy Spano said the county will transform a small dirt “pick-up” field at Ridge Road Park into a custom-designed baseball diamond made of a rubberized turf accessible to wheelchairs.

Diane Alford, executive director of the Miracle League, noted this was the organization’s first venture with a county. “The National Miracle League office is excited to have Westchester County as a partner in bringing a Miracle League to this special community. The county will construct the field as a capital project using $525,000 in funding from the county’s Legacy Program, a Spano initiative that works to preserve parkland. “Westchester County, with 17,000 disabled children attending schools, is a prime location.

The Miracle League serves individuals ages 5-21 and up who suffer from any physical or mental disability that would exclude them from conventional youth leagues. Also, the field is smaller so the children have the opportunity of hitting the ball over the fence. The Miracle League is similar to the Challenger League, a division of Little League which currently organizes teams of about 50 kids in a few Westchester communities. The Challenger League, which uses standard Little League fields, would also be welcome to use the new Miracle field.  Click here for more information on this exciting project.