Kevin Negaard - Raising Money for The Miracle League by Playing Catch

The Moonlight Graham Show

Every listener to this podcast knows that a game of catch is rarely just a game of catch. Playing catch is an opportunity to connect with someone, whether you spend that time in conversation or just listening to the pop of the ball hitting the leather. Few understand this more than this week’s guest, Kevin Negaard. Negaard’s journey is nearing his goal of 365 consecutive days of catch. This endeavor has connected him with hundreds of partners, has spanned two continents, and led to two injections in his shoulder.

Kevin Negaard was inspired by our guest Ethan Bryan’s book A Year of Playing Catch. Once he had the idea, he started building a list of who he’d like to play with and even connected with Ethan Bryan. Some of his highlights included “turning 2” with Ozzie Smith, playing catcher for Dan Gable, introducing baseball to members of the Maasai Tribe in Africa, and having a toss alongside over a hundred people at the city park in Dyersville during the Field of Dreams game. The most challenging issue for Negaard has actually been the social media posts each day.

Playing catch, even throwing a ball off a wall by himself, has always been a pastime for Kevin Negaard. This project, though, has created opportunities to connect with neighbor kids, his wife, and the ability to reconnect with his youth. As important as that process has been for him, he has also raised thousands of dollars for The Miracle League. This organization believes “Every Child Deserves A Chance to Play Baseball," and we couldn't agree more.

The Moonlight Graham Show knows that a game of catch is always more than a game.