Opening Day for Miracle League this Saturday

Opening Day for the spring baseball season of Kingsport’s Miracle League will be this Saturday (April 23) at 10 a.m. at the Miracle Complex at Brickyard Park.

The season runs until June 25 with games held every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Games typically run two to three innings or about an hour in length. Jerseys are provided at no cost and there is no fee to participate in the league.

“There’s never been an entry fee or charge for anything. That’s the way we want it to be,” said Visit Kingsport Executive Director Jud Teague, who spearheaded the Miracle Complex project.

Kingsport’s Miracle League is for special needs children and young adults who wish to play our nation’s pastime. The games are played at Kingsport’s Miracle Complex (2017 Brickyard Park Drive).

The complex has a baseball field about a third of the size of a normal field, and instead of grass or artificial turf, it has a flat, rubberized surface. The mound and all of the bases are flush so wheelchair users and amputees can travel over the surface more easily and safely.

Kingsport’s Miracle League has two co-ed divisions: ages 18 and up and ages 17 and under – and the season runs concurrently with the city’s other youth baseball leagues. The city will be accepting new players on opening day: ages 17 and under can register at 10 a.m.; ages 18 and up at noon.

During the 2021 season, more than 125 kids and young adults participated in the Miracle League. This year, approximately 140 have registered to play.

“That’s a good number of players to have, but we believe there may be more people in our region who are interested in playing,” said Kingsport’s Parks and Recreation Manager Kitty Frazier. “We’re encouraging them to come out on opening day and see how unique and great our facility is.”

Kingsport’s Miracle Complex received a Tennessee Recreation and Parks Association award for outstanding new facility and the Mark Miller Tennessee Public Works Project of the Year Award in 2021.

The complex includes the Miracle Field, a pavilion and an all-accessible playground. Future additions being planned for the complex include a soccer field, pedal park and zip lines.

For more information about Kingsport’s parks and playgrounds, visit kingsportparksandrecreation.org. For more information about Miracle Leagues, visit www.miracleleague.com.