Montgomery County Teen Strives To Bring Baseball 'Miracle' To Kids With Disabilities
By Chelsea Karnash
HORSHAM, Pa. (CBS) – There could be something of a "miracle" happening soon in Horsham.
If Kevin Barron's undertaking is a success, that is. The 17-year-old has ambitious plans for his senior year, and his senior project. He wants to bring a cushioned Miracle Field to his hometown.
Miracle Fields are rubberized playing fields designed to accommodate children with special needs. They're wheelchair-friendly and offer a flat surface for the visually impaired. Most of all, they allow children to play sports who might not be able to otherwise.
Kevin's idea, like many other things, came to him because of baseball. The pitcher and third baseman for the Hatboro-Horsham School's team has been playing since he was a kid.
"My parents signed me up for it. I fell in love with the game, and ever since, stuck with it," Kevin says.
Now, he plays in summer leagues, coaches children's baseball and umpires for the Horsham Challenger Little League, a baseball program for kids with physical and intellectual disabilities. It was at one of the league's games last year when Barron found himself inspired to try and make the Miracle Field a reality.
"It made me choke up a little bit watching kids forget about what disabilities they have and just go out and have fun. I heard they were trying for a Miracle Field, and when I heard that, I knew that I was going to run a tournament to raise money to help build the field," he explains.
The teen immediately sprang into action, organizing a youth baseball tournament to raise money and creating a Facebook page to go along with it.
The tournament, called the 2014 Horsham Home Run Classic, is being held August 14-17, and anyone who wants to donate, sponsor or create a team can email Kevin at kpbarron96@gmail.com.
So far, Kevin's Facebook page has almost 80 likes, but he's hoping some help from the local media will boost that number.
And while the Miracle Field could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, Barron isn't daunted by the challenge. He just wants to give the children that inspire him, despite the challenges they face, a place to play ball.
"I just want to allow those kids to have a nice field that allows all participants to join and not be held back."
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