Challenger League attracts baseball players of all ages, disabilities

TINLEY PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- Baseball is a sport that can be adapted for everyone regardless of their age or disabilities. The Challenger Leagues make this possible.

The Tinley Park Bobcat League started the Challenger division 20 years ago with ten players. This year, they have 64 players with disabilities, five teams and a new accessible field.

"We have kids from all the surrounding suburbs, we have Tinley Park, Orland Park, Oak Forest, Evergreen Park, Oak Lawn, Frankfurt, Mokena," said Lois Murphy, one of the parents who started the division.

"I have a son who plays," Murphy said. "He would have difficulty playing on another team."

Players from ages 5-30 play in the Challenger division.

"No qualifications, if they want to play they can play," Murphy said. "If they have a disability."

"Our inning is all the players on the team get to bat, and we pitch to them until they hit the ball so that they have success," Murphy said.

Some of them have buddies.

"It depends on their abilities," Murphy said.

This year, they got a new and accessible field.

"The larger dugouts, the larger openings for wheelchairs to get in," Murphy said. "It's a nice, smooth surface so there are no tripping hazards."

Plus, they can play more often.

"So if they want to play twice a week, this year they 're able to do that, for the past 20 years we have played once a week," Murphy said.

Andrew Behrman, 19, plays on the LA Dodgers Challenger team.

"I've been playing for 14 years," Behrman said. "This league allows kids with disabilities to play baseball, and I think that is just a great opportunity for myself as well as these kids."

"The kids' smiles on their faces, the players' smiles, watching them hit the ball and run the bases and just have a great time," Murphy said.

Tuesday is the last game for the Tinley Park Challenger division. They will start again in September. If you live in the south suburbs and want to play in the league, sign-up starts next month. For more information, visit www.challengersfield.com or www.tinleyparkbobcats.org.