Our History

In 2000, the first Miracle League field was built in Conyers, Ga. It was an astounding success that inspired a nationwide initiative.

Motivated by these initial leagues’ efforts, the Little Rock Rotary Club 99 partnered with Peggy McCall in the spring of 2005 to bring a Miracle League program to central Arkansas. Club 99 members worked diligently to raise funds to construct the Miracle League field. With the help of KIDSource KIDS and community volunteers, the design and construction of the first Miracle League complex in Arkansas began.

The unique facility’s design included a custom field with cushioned synthetic turf tiles made from recycled tires to help prevent injuries while still providing a solid surface for wheelchairs and walkers to navigate. Completely barrier-free, the environment was also designed to allow for accessibility inside and outside the dugout by eliminating any obstacles for wheelchairs, walkers, and visually impaired players.

The first Miracle League season opened in the fall of 2006 with four teams and 41 players. The league was opened to anyone age 4 or older with a medical diagnosis. This “Original League” follows special rules: every player bats once an inning, each batter gets on base, all base runners are safe and every player scores a run. Each player is also assigned a youth or adult volunteer to be his or her “Buddy.” The Buddy’s role is to assist and protect the players as they hit, run and score! Everyone wins every game!

By the fall of 2008, The Miracle League had added two leagues to its lineup: the Competitive League, for players who had played in the Original League for at least one season and understood the rules of baseball, and the Adult League, for players 19 years and older. In the six seasons The Miracle League of Arkansas has been open to participants, we have grown to include more than 375 kids in our Original, Competitive and Adult leagues.