Gus & Grant: 10 Years of Friendship at The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields
- NuxhallMiracleLeague
- Jun 13
- 3 min read
FAIRFIELD, OH (June 13, 2025)—This is a story of 10 years of friendship at the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields.
In 2013, at a wedding reception, two boys met and instantly became fast friends. Gus was just 2, Grant was 5—and from the start, Grant loved pushing Gus in his manual wheelchair, the two of them laughing and zooming around as only kids can.
As the moms (Gus’s, and Carri, Grant’s mom) watched them play, Carri casually mentioned something that would change their lives: her older kids had all been buddies at the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields, and she asked if Gus might want to try baseball someday. The answer was a resounding yes!
The boys signed up, and in Spring 2015, they suited up for their first season together. The first photo here is from their very first game.
By then, Gus had graduated to a power wheelchair—and Grant found a new thrill: riding on the back, wind in their hair, zipping from base to base with the kind of joy that only childhood friends can create.
Every spring since then (except 2020, thanks COVID), Grant has shown up to be Gus’s buddy—on the field and in life. And now, in 2025, they’ve completed their 10th season together.
This spring was bittersweet. Gus has announced his retirement from the youth league, getting ready to transition to the adult league in the future. That means these two have already played their last youth league game together.
There’s something poetic in how all of this began. Grant’s middle name is Nuxhall, a tribute to the longtime friendship between Carri’s family (the Browns) and the Nuxhall family.
When Grant was born, they hoped to introduce baby Grant to Joe himself, but Joe passed away two days before his birth. Grant’s very first public event? Joe’s visitation.
Now, all these years later, Grant has carried on Joe’s legacy in a beautiful way—showing up, cheering on, and being exactly the kind of friend and buddy that the Miracle League is all about.
Watching these two grow up together has been one of life’s greatest gifts. And this spring, in their final youth league game, the second photo is of Gus and Grant as they approached home plate one last time – one more joyful run in a decade of them, and in the words of the man who made it all possible:
“Rounding third and headed for home.”
Joe, I think you'd be proud of the magic your fields continue to create.
(Written by Christi O’Brien, Gus’ Mom)
About The Nuxhall Foundation
The Nuxhall Foundation is the legacy foundation for former Major League Baseball pitcher and longtime Cincinnati Reds broadcaster, Joe Nuxhall. A central project of The Nuxhall Foundation is The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields—an entirely accessible baseball and recreational facility where every player with every challenge gets every chance to play. More than 300 players between ages 4 to 80 participate in programs at the Miracle League Fields. For more information, visit www.nuxhallmiracleleague.org.
For all media inquiries or to schedule an appearance, please contact:
Tyler Bradshaw
Executive Director, The Nuxhall Foundation
(513) 839-6164
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