Electricians volunteer to restore power to Arlington’s youth baseball field

JACKSONVILLE, Floride. – Dozens of local baseball-team-crowned-champion-in-venezuela-venezuela/” title=”US-sanctioned baseball team crowned champion in Venezuela Venezuela”>electricians sacrificed a day off to fix a local baseball diamond that was ransacked by thieves last year.

This comes after News4JAX’s Team I revealed the severe damage caused by these thieves.

On Saturday, volunteers restored power to the Arlington Little League Baseball Field so hundreds of children could get back on the field in time for the spring season.

It was personal to Alan Jones, who was one of the volunteers.

He played baseball on the same field 50 years ago.

“I have memories of all the guys I’ve played with and all the coaches,” he said. “These are priceless.”

Seeing that same damaged field was enough for Jones and other electricians from IBEW Local 177 and Miller Electric Company to replace the wiring for free. This wiring powered things like the scoreboard, the electricity in the press room, and the lights on the pitch.

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Mike Brannen helped on Saturday from Miller Electric Company.

He and Jones are disgusted by the damage done.

“It was just insane that someone came along and ruined this for such a small reward that they got away with it,” Brannen said.

The News4JAX I-Team showed off the work of the thieves from late last year.

They emptied the place on Halloween weekend 2021, stealing gear like dozens of pairs of cleats, kicking down doors, ripping up fences and ripping out copper wiring.

“It affects children,” Jones said. “It’s disgusting.”

The organization was forced to cut short last fall season for hundreds of children and reported damage and stolen property worth $80,000.

Repairs are free for the Arlington Lions Club, which owns the sports complex but leases it to Little League for $1.

Councilman Al Ferraro stopped to assess the work and thank the electricians. It was an honor for Brannen.

“We’ve been blessed with a skill that not everyone has,” he said. “Well, we have the chance to come back and use it for the good of a community. We absolutely want to do that.

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It was a long day of work to right a wrong.

“It can serve as an example for someone else down the road,” Jones said.

The hope is that young baseball players will return to action soon.

Repairs are advancing in time for the March 5 spring baseball opener at the same location where Jones developed his game.

“Children of the future might have some of those memories like me,” Jones said.

All materials and supplies were donated by Graybar Electrical Supply.