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Larry Tischler to Receive the 2024 Joe Nuxhall Humanitarian Award

FAIRFIELD, OH (October 2, 2024) — “If we don’t dream for our special needs athletes, who will?”


Larry Tischler speaking at the annual Miracle Ball.

Time and time again, Nuxhall Foundation vice chairman Larry Tischler has repeated this refrain. It’s been his mantra—his driving force—since he first joined the team to help build The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields. That ambition and desire to help others has motivated Tischler every step of the way, which is why, among many reasons, he has been selected as the 2024 winner of The Joe Nuxhall Humanitarian Award. Tischler will receive his award on stage at The Miracle Ball on Friday, October 25, 2024 at The Oscar Event Center (located at Jungle Jim’s in Fairfield).

 

“I’ve said it so many times, and I’ve meant it in the depths of my heart: if there’s no Larry Tischler, there’s no Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields,” says Kim Nuxhall, president and board chairman of The Nuxhall Foundation. “Tisch is determined and tenacious because he wants to see our special needs athletes have every opportunity to belong in our world. My dad’s vision and legacy is alive and well because of Larry’s dedication.”


Tischler has served as the vice chairman for both The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields and The Nuxhall Foundation since their inception. Having retired as Integrated Systems Executive from Abbott Laboratories in 2009, Tischler has kept a busy retirement schedule. In addition to his work with The Nuxhall Foundation, Tischler also serves as the president of the Butler County Special Olympics—an organization that provides recreational opportunities like golf, bocce, swimming, basketball, track and field, and bowling, to athletes with physical and developmental disabilities. Tischler is also an active member of the Rotary Club of Fairfield, and volunteers with countless other organizations in the community.

 

“I am so very humbled and honored to receive this award,” says Tischler. “Joe was one of the most caring and giving individuals our community has ever known and to be receiving this honor in his name has really been overwhelming."



 Tischler was surprised with the news of his selection at a gathering of Nuxhall Foundation and Miracle League board members, as well as past Humanitarian Award winners.

 

“I have always felt that I receive more than I give when interacting with the special needs community. Whether it be the Special Olympics or the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League, the smiles and joy you see from players and their families is the absolute greatest feeling one can experience.”



 Tischler was an instrumental force within the group of founding volunteers who helped to cast the vision and fundraise for The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields in the early 2010’s. With a commitment to create a world-class venue for athletes with physical and developmental disabilities, Tischler helped to solicit significant donations, contributions, and private partnerships to bring the dream of The Ole Lefthander to life.

 

Tischler, who coached football at the University of Cincinnati and Lycoming College in the 1970’s, finds motivation close to home. Tischler’s brother-in-law, Freddie Hoover, is a member of the Therapeutic Recreation for the Disabled (TRD) Adult League at the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields. Hoover, the league’s elder statesman at 80 years of age, finds purpose and acceptance competing with his friends every Friday night—a sight that motivates Tischler to continue dreaming for bigger and better opportunities for the special needs community.

 

“Larry’s fingerprints are all over this facility,” says Tyler Bradshaw, executive director for The Nuxhall Foundation. “Larry has this unique way of energizing people around our mission and getting them on board to envision a brighter tomorrow. He deserves this honor for so many reasons.”



 This isn’t the first time “Tisch” will be honored for his commitment to the special needs community. In 2022, Larry was honored as the Volunteer of the Year by the Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities for his dedication to providing accessible recreational opportunities for athletes with special needs. In addition, The Larry Tischler Family Pavilion was named in his honor at The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields in 2017.

 

“I have the best non-paid, retirement job in America,” says Tischler of his roles as vice chairman with The Nuxhall Foundation and president of Butler County Special Olympics.

 

Tischler joins an impressive roster of character-driven Nuxhall Humanitarians, including: Sparky Anderson (2008), Marty Brennaman (2014), Sean Casey (2015), Anthony Muñoz (2016), the family of Lance Corporal Taylor Prazynski (2017), Charley Frank (2018), Sheila Gray (2019), Teddy Kremer (2022), and Bob Herzog (2023).

 

Nuxhall Foundation board member Chad Caddell said Tischler lives out Joe Nuxhall’s legacy of character and compassion for others that made him a perfect choice for the award.


“When I think of Larry Tischler and the gift of watching how he lives life,” says Caddell, “I immediately think of the word ‘fierce’—showing a heartfelt and powerful intensity. Larry loves fiercely, serves fiercely, and dreams fiercely. When you look at where our mission is today and the impact we are so blessed to watch and experience, many of the breadcrumbs lead right back to Tisch.  From day one, his passion and capacity to be poured out for the joy of our players and families, continues to trickle down throughout every facet of our outreach. His legacy is not awards, accomplishments, or projects and buildings; it’s people, and the way his presence and life purpose marks each of their lives. That’s a humanitarian. That’s Larry Tischler. And we simply would not be where we are today without him.”

 

The Miracle Ball and the After Party are once again presented by The Hatton Foundation. The Hatton Foundation and Executive Director Walt Lunsford of 9258 Wealth Management have a long and storied history of supporting The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields, having awarded a half-million-dollar matching grant to build the facility in 2011.



 “The generous support of The Hatton Foundation makes so many dreams come true for us, and we are so thankful that Walt and his team continue to believe in our mission,” says Bradshaw.

 

The 2024 Miracle Ball is sold out with a capacity crowd set to honor Tischler and support the work of The Nuxhall Foundation; however, After Party tickets are still available for all interested guests. Tickets to the After Party hosted at The Oscar Station are $75 each, and include: live music from 5th Crow, elevated ballpark bites, complimentary beer and wine, a selection of bourbon tastings, and a high-stakes round of poker with “Jungle” Jim Bonaminio to support construction of The Hope Center. After Party tickets can be purchased online at www.nuxhallmiracleleague.org/miracleball (guests do not have to attend the Miracle Ball to attend this year’s After Party).



 For more information about the Miracle Ball, contact Nuxhall Foundation executive director Tyler Bradshaw at tyler@nuxhallmiracleleague.org.


 

About The Nuxhall Foundation

The Nuxhall Foundation is the legacy foundation for former Major League Baseball pitcher and longtime Cincinnati Reds broadcaster, the late Joe Nuxhall. The Nuxhall Foundation carries forward three important legacy projects. 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. Historically, nearly 300 athletes with physical and developmental disabilities aged 4 to 80 participate in programs at the Miracle League Fields. The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Scholarship (in conjunction with the Fairfield Community Foundation) provides nearly $30,000 per year in scholarship money to student athletes at all 14 Butler County high schools. Very soon, the Joe Nuxhall Memorial Scholarship will cross the million-dollar mark in scholarship money awarded. The Joe Nuxhall Character Education Fund pitches good character to young leaders throughout Greater Cincinnati by delivering and supporting programs that stress the importance of integrity, humility, respect, and kindness. In 2024, The Nuxhall Foundation will launch a $12 million capital campaign to construct The Hope Center, a year-round recreational facility for athletes with special needs that will help to create the world's most comprehensive athletic campus for individuals with disabilities. 

 

For more information, visit http://www.nuxhallmiracleleague.org.

 

For all media inquiries or to schedule an appearance, please contact:

 

Tyler Bradshaw

(513) 839-6164

 

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