The Knights of Columbus have unveiled a new baseball field, named in honor of their founder Blessed Michael McGivney, and designed specifically to accommodate individuals with disabilities.
According to The Knights of Columbus, the field, dedicated in Neil Reid Park, Clinton Township, Michigan, was made possible by over 40 councils in the Archdiocese of Detroit which together raised $63,000 for the cause.
The field, described by State Secretary Charles McCuen as a “field of dreams,” will be used by members of the Clinton Valley Little League Challenger Division Senior League, which is for people with special needs ages 16 and up.
McGivney Field features larger dugouts for wheelchairs and rubberized base paths to safely enhance mobility. It was inaugurated in a June 15 ceremony that included a procession led by Fourth Degree Knights, the national anthem sung by a Knight’s daughter with Down syndrome, and a blessing from Auxiliary Bishop Robert Fisher.
Chris Butts, member of Council 11658, shared that participants in the league have various levels of physical limitations, including those who require walkers and those who need assistance with swinging the bat and being pushed between bases.
However, whatever degree of mobility, Butts said, “when they get that smile on their face after they get a hit, it’s impossible to describe the feeling.”
Chris Butts has been a coach for the Challenger Division for years, and shared that his son Christoper has played in the Division since he was 6 years old. “People with special needs who play in this league feel like they fit in,” he said. “Seeing Christopher around people who are similar to him and having fun is a wonderful thing, and we wouldn’t have it if this league didn’t exist.”
Christopher is now a Knight himself, and shared that “As someone with a disability, it made me especially proud to take the field named for our founder.”