the almanac S e p t e m b e r 1, 2024
SOUTH HILLS COMMUNITY NEWS
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MIRACLE WORKER
PHOTOS: ELEANOR BAILEY/THE ALMANAC
Seth Callen celebrates after scoring a run while his buddy Jack Rockenstein and others, including the Upper St. Clair High School cheerleaders, applaud his accomplishment.
Casey unifies through baseball
Fans raise their bats as Sean Casey works his way through the crown onto the Miracle League of South Hills field.
By Eleanor Bailey
Gus Walz good for Miracle League community
Almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.net
UPPER ST. CLAIR – Sean Casey facilitates miracles. Through his Miracle League of the South Hills, he was able to bridge the gap between arch rivals through the Border Battle held Aug. 24 at Boyce Mayview Park in Upper St. Clair. Not only did Casey bring together a group of athletes from Casey’s Clubhouse and the South Hills of Pittsburgh to play baseball against a Miracle League travel team from Cincinnati, representing the Joe Nuxhall Foundation, he united Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair. Less than 12 hours after the Panthers defeated the Blue Devils, 42-22, in the first game of the high school football season, cheerleading squads from both schools as well as former athletes participated in the Pack the Park promotion Liam Gorski from the Good Attitude Angels is greeted by former Cincinnati first basefor the day’s event. man Sean Casey (21) as he gets off the bus to play in the Miracle League of the South SEE MIRACLE PAGE A2 Hills baseball event.
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.net
David Hall of Upper St. Clair saw the social media post of Gus Walz tearfully and proudly shouting, “That’s my dad,” during the Democratic National Convention. Immediately he thought of his own son, Buddy, who has Down’s syndrome, as well as the Miracle League of South Hills, of which he is a member of its executive board. “Any spotlight and attention is good. This especially because it’s making the broader world realize these are real people here,” Hall said. “They are not just tags. ADHD. Autism. Those are human beings. Those are family members; brothers, sisters; sons, daughters. We have to welcome them into every aspect of society as we would anyone else. That’s the best part.” The bad part came later. Soon after the clip went viral there was backlash. For example, conservative media pundit Ann Coulter, 62, initially posted on X that Walz’s sobbing was “weird,” then deleted the tweet. “That’s terrible,” said Tracey Green. The Mt. Lebanon High School cheerleading moderator added, “I wouldn’t even have a comment for people who would pick on special needs people. SEE WALZ PAGE A2
ABOVE: Fans wave special Sean Casey Terrible Towels as they greet the buses arriving for the Miracle League border battle between teams from Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. RIGHT: Joey, the mascot from the Cincinnati Miracle League, poses with Mt. Lebanon cheerleaders.
SOUTH FAYETTE District moves on in education competition PAGE A3 What’s happening, B3
SPORTS BP’s Wolling dominated Southwest links this summer PAGE B1 Real estate transactions, A5,6
SIGHTS & SOUNDS Read Local/ Eat Local set for Sept. 7 PAGE B3 Classifieds, B4-6