Photo: Dan Lester, Courtesy NE Ohio Challenger League
(Broadview Heights) - A baseball league specially for handicapped children will start its 31st season this weekend. The Northeast Ohio Challenger Baseball League is a sub-division of Little League and creates a safe environment for children with disabilities to be able to play baseball.
They don't keep track of strikes and balls, and every game ends in a tie, but it does allow differently abled children to be able to play structured team sports.
The league was founded by Jim Cipriani, who died from cancer during the pandemic. The league is now run by Brian Wolf and Gus Gallucci, who both got into Challenger League because they both have disabled children. Wolf says they got the league going again from scratch after the pandemic.
They have beeper balls for players with visual disabilities. For children who can't swing a bat, a parent built a batting gizmo that allows for players to swing the bat simply by pushing a button.
The Northeast Ohio Challenger League is always looking for players, and volunteers to help. Their first game of the season is Sunday, May 21st, at 4 p.m. at The Fields, 8938 Broadview Road, Broadview Heights 44147. For more information, contact Wolf at 440-376-8848 or neochallenger@att.net.
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