PlayStation’s ‘MLB: The Show’ Features Man With Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy limits Hans Smith’s control of his arms and legs, but thanks to a video game, Smith is living out his dream of playing baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Last year Smith wrote to the creators of “MLB: The Show,” a PlayStation game which allows players to simulate the path of a professional baseball player as they work through the minor leagues and into the majors. In the letter, he thanked the creators for giving him an opportunity to participate in the sport he loves.

Touched by the letter, producers at Sony invited Smith to San Diego to act as a consultant on the latest version of the game. What’s more, they added a character modeled after Smith. Now, players of the recently released “MLB 10: The Show” can opt to play as “Hans Smith.” The character looks like the real Smith, but bats much like Smith’s favorite player Albert Pujols.

“I never thought I would be able to play baseball, and now I get to pitch, hit, and play catcher, which is my favorite position,” Smith, a student at Brigham Young University in Rexburg, Idaho, told KIFI, an ABC affiliate. “Whenever the announcer says Hans Smith is coming to the plate, it really sends shivers down my spine.”