San Pablo Youth Baseball has season saved by community after equipment vandalized
An entire youth baseball season was on the line after a fire burned all their equipment in a storage container.
San Pablo Youth Baseball had lost everything, they thought it was game over. But then the community pitched in.
Coach Andre Williams runs youth sports in San Pablo. On Wednesday night, he was coaching the football team, but many of the kids play multiple sports.
"All the players that play football play baseball," said Andre Williams. "Like that little guy right there, he may be tiny and bowlegged, but he's a heck of a player."
Keeping these kids active in sports is personal for Coach Williams. He lost his nephew to gun violence 20 years ago. When he saw the baseball team's storage container on Monday, he was lost for words.
"I was devastated," he said. "Totally devastated."
Police said 30-year-old Ulices Sanchez, a transient, stole items from the storage container and set the rest on fire.
"I said wow," Coach Williams said. "Is this what we deserve."
Roughly $100,000 in equipment was gone in a matter of hours. The kids thought their fall ball season was over.
"He did it because he just didn't care really," said Jesiah Lutche. "So I was pretty devastated after I heard about the fire."
Coach Williams, though, tried to remain positive, especially for his kids.
"When they seen all the stuff that was out, it really hit them, and they said what are we going to do," he said. "I said what we're going to do is move forward. This is nothing but a mole hill. I said God will see us through."
San Pablo Baseball conquered that mole hill thanks to the community.
"This is the first load," said Erik Zalkin from the El Cerrito Youth Baseball League. "We'll have another load shortly to see what these guys need."
Usually opponents on the field, their neighbors from El Cerrito dropped off donations. Coach Williams truck is filled with equipment from another generous donor and strangers pitched in thousands to an online fundraiser. The league thought it was it was game over, but the community came together so the kids can play ball this weekend.
"Now, I feel pretty hopeful now," said Josiah. "I now know that there is kind people in the world who really do care about baseball. Whoever donated is a great person."