Significant vandalism at a youth baseball field in Mayfield left organizers scrambling to ready it for the start of the season just three weeks away.
Adam Grabowski, president of Mayfield Little League, went to the field Saturday to meet contractors when he discovered the damage. His wife said his heart was “broken.”
Cindy Grabowski, who leads the league’s fundraising efforts, said her husband spotted a concession stand in disarray and knew something was wrong.
A youth baseball program in Mayfield was recently vandalized and the league is asking for help. (SUBMITTED)
“Over the last three years our volunteers and families have poured their hearts into rebuilding Mayfield Youth Baseball,” Adam Grabowski said. “To walk in and see the destruction of things we worked so hard to provide for the kids was devastating.”
But, in spite of fences that seemed to have been rammed by a sledge hammer, concession appliances filled with what organizers think may be urine and offensive graffiti appearing on several walls in the facility, Grabowski is confident the season will open on April 11, as scheduled.
Vandalism at Mayfield youth baseball program was discovered Saturday. Officials are raising money and working to repair damage for the season opening on April 11. (SUBMITTED)
Vandalism at Mayfield youth baseball program was discovered Saturday. Officials are raising money and working to repair damage for the season opening on April 11. (SUBMITTED)
Vandalism at Mayfield youth baseball program was discovered Saturday. Officials are raising money and working to repair damage for the season opening on April 11. (SUBMITTED)
Vandalism at Mayfield youth baseball program was discovered Saturday. Officials are raising money and working to repair damage for the season opening on April 11. (SUBMITTED)
Vandalism at Mayfield youth baseball program was discovered Saturday. Officials are raising money and working to repair damage for the season opening on April 11. (SUBMITTED)
Vandalism at Mayfield youth baseball program was discovered Saturday. Officials are raising money and working to repair damage for the season opening on April 11. (SUBMITTED)
Vandalism at Mayfield youth baseball program was discovered Saturday. Officials are raising money and working to repair damage for the season opening on April 11. (SUBMITTED)
Vandalism at Mayfield youth baseball program was discovered Saturday. Officials are raising money and working to repair damage for the season opening on April 11. (SUBMITTED)
Vandalism at Mayfield youth baseball program was discovered Saturday. Officials are raising money and working to repair damage for the season opening on April 11. (SUBMITTED)
Vandalism at Mayfield youth baseball program was discovered Saturday. Officials are raising money and working to repair damage for the season opening on April 11. (SUBMITTED)
Vandalism at Mayfield youth baseball program was discovered Saturday. Officials are raising money and working to repair damage for the season opening on April 11. (SUBMITTED)
Vandalism at Mayfield youth baseball program was discovered Saturday. Officials are raising money and working to repair damage for the season opening on April 11. (SUBMITTED)
Vandalism at Mayfield youth baseball program was discovered Saturday. Officials are raising money and working to repair damage for the season opening on April 11. (SUBMITTED)
Vandalism at Mayfield youth baseball program was discovered Saturday. Officials are raising money and working to repair damage for the season opening on April 11. (SUBMITTED)
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Vandalism at Mayfield youth baseball program was discovered Saturday. Officials are raising money and working to repair damage for the season opening on April 11. (SUBMITTED)
“Our community has always rallied around our program and we’re hopeful that together we can rebuild and still give these kids the season they deserve,” he said.
Cindy Grabowski said the vandalism goes beyond damage and destruction to tangible items, but has shaken the community.
“One of the most painful losses was the destruction of the uniform closet that supported families throughout the community,” she said. “The closet was built through donations from families in our community to help ensure that every child — no matter their circumstances — could have the equipment they need to play baseball.”
In the last three years, the Mayfield youth league baseball recovered from financial challenges, which included several delinquent accounts, she said.
Under new leadership, the program, which is branch of the Lakeland League, held various fundraisers, maintained and improved the property, and improved its concession stand for additional revenue — regaining financial stability.
Organizers were finally in a position for several improvements, including the conversion of a lower field into a softball field.
Now, they don’t know if money saved will go to improvements or needed repair of the facility, Grabowski said.
The field is owned by the borough, which carries insurance for the buildings but not their contents, she said.
The damage includes broken concession equipment such as fryers, a hot dog roller, Keurig machine and TV menu screen. The concession stand walls and storage areas were spray-painted with graffiti, fences and gates were damaged, and supplies were scattered throughout the building. A sledgehammer from the storage area was used to smash cinder blocks and damage fences.
Field maintenance equipment was also vandalized, including the league’s zero-turn mower, which was spray-painted, dismantled and had an unknown substance poured into the gas tank.
The public can donate to the restoration of the field through their GoFundMe page at https://gofund.me/04568f7dc or through Venmo at @Mayfield-Baseball.