Baseball in New Germany is at risk this summer after it was discovered that someone had driven a dirtbike on the field at some point early this Spring and damaged it to the point that it will not be fit for use this year.
Gary Mailman who helps look after the field said the discovery was disappointing but not surprising, “I’d heard a couple of stories of kids going down to the field and tearing around on it,”.
The field is located behind the New Germany Fire Hall and seven years ago an access road to the field was closed. Mailman says that means anyone going to the field now has to pass in front of it then go around and through the back which he says makes the area conducive to mischief.
“The way it’s set up now if the police or the municipality ever come out to check up on something you would see them coming and could easily drive off before they ever got close,” Mailman said.
Although Mailman would love to start undertaking repairs the field and its benefactors recently invested in a new $6,000 fence which drained a large portion of their cash reserves.
Since learning of the fields state Mailman says he’s received support from individuals and local groups leaving him hopeful the repairs will be undertaken soon.
“I’m hopeful we will be able to get the field repaired by this summer, but at this point, the odds of it being salvaged in time for the high school season are almost zero,”.
The field is used by the baseball team of New Germany High in usual years, but they have since turned to other options. Mailman says the field also hosts around 12 teams throughout the year with games happening most weekends in the summer.
*In an earlier version of this story our newsroom incorrectly reported the damage to the field was caused by an ATV or Truck, when in fact the damage is believed to be from a dirt bike.
