Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, New York, has played host to such immortals as Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Ted Williams, Hank Aaron and countless others.
Add to that list new legends such as Evan Noble, Jade Pearson, Cole Bigger, Christina DeGregory, Tyler Siwczak, Jarrett Kane, Michael Jeannette and Jamie Van Morter.
They were the Hamilton Township residents on the Mercer Miracle League’s combined Miracle Division, travel team and competitive skills travel team that made the league’s first-ever trip to the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame June 24-27. Other superstars rounding out the squad were Tomas Valois, Azaliah Farkas, Troy Jaworowski, Marissa Reggimenti, Zach Esposito, Aidan Quinn, Charlie Mott, Tanner Millemann and Cristian Valois.
The visit featured games at Doubleday on Wednesday and Thursday against Miracle League teams from around the country, and a Thursday evening reception for all the participants.
“It’s been exciting to go on a legendary field to play with the Miracle League teams from other states, it’s a lot of fun,” Jeannette said. “I totally could feel how old the place was.”
Michael’s dad felt likewise.
“The tour they put together and the atmosphere was just phenomenal,” Tony Jeannette said. “The other parents felt the same thing. I know the rest of the coaches out there with me, when you walk on Doubleday Field the hair on our arms stands up. It’s surreal.”
MML executive director Dan Sczweck enjoyed soaking in his entourage’s reaction; especially the players.
“You saw a light turn on in their heads; every one of them,” he said. “I don’t know if it was the presence of the field or the building itself, the old brick and the plaques that are everywhere. Maybe they had some prior knowledge, but you could just feel it.
“I don’t know if it’s that unexplainable ether, but you have that moment where you walk on the field and say ‘OK, there’s ghosts here, you can feel the presence of the past.’ You see them reacting differently from when they’re jumping on our field and playing.”
Doubleday Field, nestled two blocks from the Hall of Fame in a what can safely be called a charming village, was built in 1920. From 1940 to 2008, it hosted the Hall of Fame Game, an exhibition between two MLB squads played predominantly on the day of or day after HOF inductions.
“I heard that Babe Ruth was on that field (in 1939),” Siwczak said. “The first day was very overwhelming, but eventually I did have fun. It was a really cool experience. I don’t think I’ll ever experience that type of field again.”
Asked if he would like Doubleday to be the MML’s home field, Tyler chirped: “You bet I would,” to which Sczweck quickly responded, “That would take a lot of work!”
Sczweck is no stranger to work, which is how the trip came about. He wanted to establish a travel program and knew that he needed enticing destination trips and assistance from other Miracle Leagues to get things rolling.
In 2021 while driving home from a Miracle all-star event in Ohio he stopped by Pittsburgh to visit his brother. While there he attended some Miracle League games and met the Pittsburgh Director, Tim Gephart, who was also looking to start a travel program.
“We just hit it off and stayed in contact,” Sczweck said. “They’ve been the lead on all this; they’re the guys that make it happen.”
Gephart brought his league to Hamilton in 2022. The following year the MML went to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and last year it hosted the Northeast Regional Tournament.
“Last year Tim and his crew made arrangements to be at the Field of Dreams in Iowa,” Sczweck said. “We didn’t have a chance to follow him, but when he talked about Cooperstown I said ‘We’re 100 percent in.’ We basically spent the last six, seven months preparing for the week.”
And what a week it was. Numerous Miracle League teams descended upon the birthplace of baseball, and anyone watching the games could easily see the special feeling the players — and their parents — were experiencing.
“When I found out about this I was like a kid on Christmas morning,” Tony Jeannette said. “Cooperstown has always been on my bucket list and when Dan told me, I was probably more excited than the players were.”
What made it more exciting was watching the action on the venerable field.
“Its great to see all the guys play,” said Tony Jeannette, whose family has been involved with MML for 10 years. “I have 11 more kids out there with this group. It’s just a great bunch of young men and women.”
Sczweck got as much pleasure seeing the reaction of guys like Jeannette, as he was watching his squad play.
“The greatest reward I get is when I see parents simultaneously relieved and happy,” he said. “The biggest concern is always, like anything else when working with a special needs community, when you introduce something new they’ll get a little outside the box. The parents look and they go ‘Is this something my child can do? Can they participate, is it acceptable? Can we afford it?’”
Sczweck and his hard-working staff made it affordable with tireless fundraising. Thus, the parents’ lone financial responsibility was gas and tolls, as they only needed to get to Cooperstown. The MML paid for the meals and hotel.
“Their only responsibility was just to watch their kids have these unbelievable experiences they may not have had otherwise,” the Commish said. “We try to make it as reasonable as possible. That’s why we’re always out there fundraising. If we can grow it, we can be able to incorporate more travel teams and find other ways to compete and meet other travel teams and make more friendships and relationships.”
Aside from the games, the Mercer crew were able to tour the Hall of Fame.
“I actually didn’t know that was here,” Michael Jeannette said. “It was pretty cool. Pretty iconic to see all of that.”
Watching the players tour the hallowed Hall was enjoyable for Tony Jeannette, who awarded his son with a “I Hit a Home Run in Cooperstown” t-shirt after Michael belted one in the rain on the second day of games.
“I think it made their appreciation of baseball even greater,” Tony said. “They’re learning some of the history of it, and the history of playing at Doubleday Field is just incredible. Their love of baseball is made so much more by seeing the history.”
Which is something that Sczweck found meaningful with the Cooperstown trip. He raved about the trek to Tennessee, which included go-kart races, eating ice cream and visiting Dollywood. He called the experience “overwhelming with how much fun it was.” But this trip had an equally good vibe, just more diamond-centric.
Sczweck said. “This this town, the history, the Hall of Fame itself lends so much more to it. My favorite part is seeing them love the game as much as I do. I truly believe they’ve gained a new appreciation of the game,” Sczweck said.
They are actually now part of the game’s fabric, since they can add their names to the list of legends who have graced the mythic grass and dirt of Doubleday Field.
Miracle League members in front of Philadelphia A’s exhibit at Baseball Hall of Fame: volunteer Reid Bigger, Tom Valois, Cole Bigger, volunteer Nate Bigger, executive director Dan Szcweck, Michael Jeannette, Aidan Quinn, Cristian Valois, player/media relations man Harrison Mylowe and coach Jenn McVicker. (Photo by Rich Fisher.),
