FAIRFIELD, OH (April 23, 2022)—There’s a new baby roo who is rooting for the all-stars at The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields!
The Nuxhall Foundation is excited to introduce Joey the Can-Do Kangaroo as the official mascot of The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields. Joey made his first public appearance at the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields Opening Day Parade presented by Mike’s Carwash on April 23, and was introduced at an on-field ceremony following the parade. Joey will immediately begin to make new friends and show off his skills by appearing at youth and adult league games during the Spring/Summer 2022 seasons.
“For years, our players have lit up with huge smiles when mascots from other area teams have visited our facility,” says Kim Nuxhall, President and Board Chairman of The Nuxhall Foundation. “Now, our all-stars have a mascot all their own, and we can’t wait to see their excitement as Joey hops into their hearts. This is another one of those ‘dream come true’ moments that we envisioned when we opened ten years ago.”
Who Is Joey
Joey’s story is a perfect fit for the mission of The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields—a place where every individual with every challenge gets every chance to play the game of baseball. Joey is a baby kangaroo who was just a little bit different from the other roos in his neighborhood. At a young age, Joey realized that his legs didn’t work quite the same way as his classmates’ did. After staying in his Mom’s pouch a little longer than expected (9 years to be exact), Joey started to wear leg braces to help him walk and run; and with the help of those braces and lots of encouragement from those around him, he realized that he could do anything he put his mind to.
“It was important for us to have our mascot represent a unique physical need, just like our all-stars at the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields,” says Tyler Bradshaw, Executive Director of The Nuxhall Foundation. “We have many players at our facility who wear leg braces just like Joey. With every hit and trip around the basepaths, they prove that everyone—regardless of their physical ability—can play and belong. That’s why Joey was a homerun choice to be our mascot.”
Joey honors his favorite baseball player of all-time, Joe Nuxhall, by wearing the number 41 on his red jersey—paying homage to Nuxhall’s 60-year legacy with the Cincinnati Reds. That, along with the fact that baby kangaroos are known as “joeys,” make Joey a perfect ambassador for the organization.
“Like our all-stars, Joey is unique,” says Bradshaw. “And like our all-stars, Joey is also an inspiration. He joins our team at a time when the entire world is looking for hope, encouragement, and a belief that we can overcome our greatest obstacles. With every hop and every hug, Joey is the inspiration we need, and he’s going to help us all smile a bit bigger.”
Partnership with Street Characters
The Nuxhall Foundation worked with Street Characters Inc.—a world renowned mascot solutions company headquartered in Alberta, Canada—to sign Joey to a lifetime deal to become the official mascot of The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields.
“We are unbelievably grateful to the team at Street Characters Inc. for their creativity, insight, guidance, and most importantly their desire to understand the unique needs of our players and families,” says Bradshaw. “It’s easy to see why Street Characters is the ‘top dog’ in the world of professional mascots.”
Children’s Book Tells Joey’s Amazing Story
To celebrate Joey’s debut, The Nuxhall Foundation has also unveiled a companion children’s book titled Joey: The Can-Do Kangaroo authored by Nuxhall Foundation Board Member Chad Caddell and illustrated by Daryl Collins. This beautiful 32-page book tells the story of Joey’s character and ability to overcome obstacles.
“I remember my first visit to the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields a few years ago,” says Caddell speaking of the inspiration that led him to write the book. “I watched these amazing all-star athletes with different abilities shine and light up the place like one big joy factory. It was like the word ‘can’t’ did not even exist in their minds and hearts. With Joey, I wanted the book to remind all of our friends with special needs that they too can do anything.”
Books can be purchased during games at The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields or online at http://www.nuxhallmiracleleague.org/joeybook for $10 (plus $5 for shipping if purchased online). Every dollar generated from the sale of this children’s book will directly benefit The Nuxhall Foundation and the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields.
The Nuxhall Foundation sees the book as an unparalleled opportunity to share Joey’s story and provide an important lesson in character for all who read it.
Says Caddell of the book’s impact: “I hope it anchors them to this message: don’t let what you think you are talk you out of what you can become. And to all readers young and old, may it move all of us to be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody.”
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 200 players between ages 4 to 78 participate in programs at the Miracle League Fields, and many more use the facility for school visits and other recreational opportunities. For more information, visit www.nuxhallmiracleleague.org.
To learn more about Joey the Can-Do Kangaroo or to order copies of the children’s book, visit www.nuxhallmiracleleague.org/joey.
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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