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  • Scott Logan, vice president of the Pittsburg County Little League, checks out a piece of jagged glass in a broken window at the concession stand at Deerinwater Field in Krebs. Logan and other volunteers with the Pittsburg County Little League surveyed the damage Thursday after vandals hit the baseball field. Staff photo by Kevin Harvison Staff Photo by KEVIN HARVISON

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  • A metal pole lies on the ground near where a steel door at Deerinwater Field had been battered by vandals Thursday, as Pittsburg County Little League Vice President Scott Logan looks over the damage. Staff photo by Kevin Harvison Staff Photo by KEVIN HARVISON

    BALL-FIELD-3.jpg

  • Pittsburg County Little League Vice President Scott Logan stands outside a rest room at Deerinwater Field in Krebs on Thursday. Vandals were unsuccessful in trying to break into the rest room, but still damaged the steel door. Staff photo by Kevin Harvison Staff Photo by KEVIN HARVISON

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January 7, 2013

Deerinwater Field vandalism damages Little League facilities; work day set

By James Beaty Senior Editor

KREBS — KREBS — Volunteers who work with the Pittsburg County Little League were stunned to see the destruction at Deerinwater Field, where the Little League games are played.

Glass windows to the concession stand were shattered after the wooden shutters were ripped away.

Metal doors to both the men’s and women’s rest rooms had been continually battered, apparently with a metal pole left at the scene. Although the doors were damaged, locks on the doors held, denying the vandal or vandals entrance.

Doors and windows to the press box were smashed in and some of the fencing around the ball field had been pulled down. Parts of the fields and grounds were heavily soaked by turning on — and leaving on — the water supply normally used to irrigate the field.

The matter is under investigation by the Krebs Police Department, which discovered the vandalism and notified a board member of the Pittsburg County Little League.

Pittsburg County Little League Vice President Scott Logan stopped by to check out the damage after learning of it early Thursday.

So did Pittsburg County Little League Treasurer Josh Hass, who recalled how he felt.

“How horrible it is to do this, to tear up something that was built for children,” Hass said.

The matter is under investigation by the Krebs Police Department, who discovered the vandalism and notified the Pittsburg County Little League.

Meanwhile, volunteers with Pittsburg County Little  League are re-acting by announcing plans for a workday set for 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 12.

They’re hoping for help from more than the usual volunteers.

Volunteers hope to have major repairs completed in time for the first day of the spring and summer season, which begins in March and extends to July.

Logan is concerned that Little League players who see the facilities in its present condition will feel concerned about the Little League’s future.

“We’re going to have not only league-wide, but a community-wide work day to get it cleaned up, so the kids won’t think the worst,” Logan said.

Since all of the adults working with the Pittsburg County Little League are unpaid volunteers, money from repairs will have to come from funds that normally would be used for the benefit of the Little League players, according to Logan.

“It will be out of our pockets. It will be out of our blood, sweat and tears,” Logan said,

Anyone who needs more information regarding the work day or who would like to donate materials for repairs can phone 918-421-2304, which is the phone number for the Pittsburg County Little League.

Volunteers established the Pittsburg County Little League in 2010. More than 400 children played ball through the Pittsburg County Little League last year, said Logan.

In addition to the spring and summer season, the Pittsburg County Little League also conducts a fall season.  

Both Hass and Logan did not want to let the acts of destruction slow down the momentum of Pittsburg County Little League.

For more on this story, see the print or electronic editions of the McAlester News-Capital. Click here for print edition home delivery or click here to see the Smart Edition for your computer, tablet, e-reader or smartphone.

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