GREAT FALLS — A scheduled double-header for the Great Falls Chargers was nearly re-located after their usual field was disturbed by a vehicle.
Extensive damage done by a four-wheel vehicle to the pitching mound and infield grass at Don Olson Field on the south side of town.
“[The coaches] arrived to see that our fields had been damaged by somebody choosing to have a joyride last night on our field that we've spent thousands of dollars on getting ready,” says ECBA Board President, Jon Boutilier.
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Thanks to early recognition and volunteer help, the field was patched up as smoothly as possible so that games could continue. There is still damage to the grass, where tire marks continue to be visible.
“We have kids that have been playing this game for many years to be able to play for the Chargers. This is not what they deserve to have happen to them,” said Boutilier.
The Chargers are youth baseball teams separated by three classes of play, AA, A, and B. There are over 50 kids who fill out the three rosters. Without official high-school baseball teams in town, it’s the best way for kids to play the sport competitively. The vandalism nearly took that away.
Had the games been re-located, it would have been to a field normally reserved for practice, and parents would have been forced to watch from the street.
A police report has been filed by the ECBA, and the organization has posted a $1000 reward for the identification of the perpetrator.
"We are not going anywhere and we will find who did this. The police will help us. The City of Great Falls will hopefully help us identify who did this. This is about the youth of our our town,” said Boutilier.
If you have information which can help the ECBA and police in their investigation, click here (https://www.electriccitybaseballacademy.org/home) to get in touch with the youth baseball academy.
