Sand Springs Youth Baseball Seeks Donations After Tornado

The Youth Baseball Board is trying to raise $80,000 to repair backstops, fences, and light poles, along with buildings and bleachers in Sand Springs that were damaged by last week's tornado.

Until the money is raised, hundreds of kids will not have a permanent place to play. As of now, the league is able to play some of its games at the softball fields right around the corner from the damaged park. Four games will be played there on Wednesday night.

Sand Springs Youth Baseball hopes to raise the money through go fund me, because just to repair the fencing will cost about $60,000. The city did have insurance on the park, but it's not clear what will be covered at this time.

Concrete slabs are all that's left of the bleachers that were behind home plate; some were thrown all the way into the outfield. Light poles have also been snapped, and the league says the park lost around 70 trees.

League president Steve Steelman has been around the park his whole life, and is asking anyone who can to pitch in. "We need some help. We need some help from the businesses, local and far away. We need to get these kids back on the field playing little league baseball. It's a great game, and I just need to do it for these kids."

For now, 10 and under down through tee-ball will play at the softball fields, while the older divisions have made arrangements to play their seasons in Skiatook.