HIGH POINT – The Phillies and Red Sox traded hits Saturday morning for a final score that wasn’t at all the point of the game.

The teams played the opening game of The Miracle League of High Point’s second season. The special baseball field off Shadybrook Road was created last year with a tremendous amount of community and city support to serve young people age 5-18 with physical and mental disabilities.

On Saturday morning, Tyler Ford celebrated his birthday by getting to first base on his first hit.

Chris Hall, 6, of Archdale, came off the specially outfitted field with a huge grin on his face and gave his mother, Tammy, a high-five.

Tammy is thrilled that the Miracle Field is available for Chris.

“He had been wanting to play – he’d say, ‘Me play’ – when his sister (Makala, 8) would play soccer, and now he has someplace to play. Yesterday he kept looking at the clock asking me was it ball game time,” Tammy said.

When looking at Miracle League’s Web site, Tammy noticed that “buddies” to assist players are needed, so she told her other son, Fisher, 12, about the program, and now Fisher is his brother’s buddy.

Another buddy, Todd Murphy, is a prime example of the volunteers who assist players, said Sherry Paul, recreation supervisor for the city of High Point’s Parks & Recreation Department, which sponsors The Miracle League.

Murphy, from Maryland and a sophomore at High Point University, volunteered for double duty as a coach and buddy.

“He’s never missed a game, and he got here early today to help the new coaches,” Paul said.

Murphy heard about The Miracle League through a class at HPU, where he is studying to teach high school, with a minor in special education.

“It’s awesome,” Murphy said of volunteering. “Some of these kids haven’t played baseball and now get to, and it gives them a time to feel like they’re not left out.”

vknopfler@hpe.com | 888-3601

In brief

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The Miracle League this year has more than 60 young people who play on six teams. Each player needs at least one buddy, so for each of the three Saturday morning games through May 22, at least 30 volunteers are needed.

For information on being a player or buddy, call the Parks & Recreation Department at 883-3469 or download a form from the Web site www.hpmiracleleague.org.