Reo wants to play ball

A baseball field with a smooth surface, access for wheelchairs into the dugouts and a rubberized surface to prevent injuries, this all seems like a dream come true for Reo Kobayashi, a Newport Coast resident.

He plans to enjoy playing on it.

Major League Baseball, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the City of Anaheim broke ground last month on the MLB and Angels All-Star Complex at Pioneer Park in Anaheim. The project is part of the “Going Beyond” charity and community service theme for the 2010 All-Star Summer in Anaheim. It will consist of the renovation of an existing youth baseball field and softball field.

They are also going to construct a new Miracle League Field, which will give opportunities for special needs children to play baseball. Reo (pronounced Leyo), 10, who has cerebral palsy, wants to play baseball too. He plans to play on the field. He’s entering his second year in participating in the Miracle League. In his first year, he played for the Titans.

“It has been loads of fun and experience,” Reo says.

He says he looks forward to play on the new field. He thinks it will be great fun and it will motivate kids to also play on the new field.

“It gives the kids the full potential to play,” he says.

As construction takes place, safety is going to be a top priority, which comforts Reo

“It’s hard to push a wheelchair or a walker in a baseball field with dirt and little rocks and it gets complicated,” Reo says. “With this new field I think a lot of people will research it and will want to play on the new field.”

Reo met Angels owner Arte Moreno at the groundbreaking ceremony last month. Reo also met Moreno’s wife, Carol, and said both were very nice.

The highlights didn’t stop there for Reo. He also received an autographed baseball from Hideki Matsui.

Reo was a featured speaker at the ceremony.

“It’s just amazing how they made this park,” he told everyone.

Reo was also excited to meet former Angels players, including Chuck Finley and Mark Langston. The baseball organization made such an impact on Reo that he is now an Angels fan.

Of course he’s also a fan of the new field, which will feature a cushioned rubberized surface to help prevent injuries. It will also include wheelchair accessible dugouts and complete flat surfaces, which will eliminate any barriers with children who use a wheelchair or have a visual impairment.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the fields is planned to take place during MLB All-Star events July 9 through 13.

It will be a welcomed relief for the Kobayashis.

“In the Orange County Miracle League they play on dirt fields, which is very hard to push the wheelchair to first base,” said Miyuki Kobayashi, Reo’s mother.

After games, Miyuki must clean Reo’s wheelchair and his shoes. She also said it can be very difficult to push a walker.

But with the new field they will be able to enjoy baseball more and more each week, she said.

“He loves getting the ball and pitching from the pitcher’s mound,” Miyuki says.

Servite frosh-soph baseball players volunteer every week to help the kids move around the bases, she added.

Reo is happy to know that the Angels helped him too.