The ribbon was cut Sunday on a field in DuBois that gives those with disabilities a chance to enjoy the game of baseball.
The Rose and Dennis Heindl Memorial Field is designed with mobility and wheelchair accessibility in mind.
“This is probably the field that everyone tries to duplicate,” donor and field namesake Dennis Heindl said. “Not only in Pennsylvania, but throughout the whole United States.”
Challenger League is a division of Little League for kids and adults with disabilities.
Director of the DuBois Challenger League, Bill Cuba sais this field makes playing baseball easier for the players, and also holds a personal meaning.
His son, Will, has Down Syndrome.
“We wanted to make sure that he was able to continue to play baseball throughout his life,” Cuba said. “To be able to allow him to be part of this, like I said, is unbelievable.”
Many donations came together to make this field possible, including help from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“It’s just wonderful to see the kids and the families who so often are told that they can’t play to be invited out on the field and just enjoy the game of baseball,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said.
The Challenger League isn’t the only group of players to use the field, it will also be used by the Little League, Penn State DuBois, and the area high schools.