Little league

finished coaching an afternoon game.

“A lot of people were mad, they were frustrated. That was the initial reaction,” Terrazas said. “They wanted to know who would be willing to do stuff like that.”

But help also was quick to arrive.

Neighboring leagues, including recent world champion El Segundo Little League, mentioned the incident on its websites, helped spread awareness of the situation at national and international levels and indirectly drove needed financial contributors, Terrazas said.

After a week worth of donations, Terrazas said, Long Beach residents and sympathizers of the West Long Beach Little League had pinch hit to the tune of $11,700.

The community response had been so effective, he said, that he decided to expand the initial $5,000 fundraising goal to $20,000. That money would help beef up security measures in and around the park; he will also explore purchasing an ATV previously stolen from another storage unit at Hudson Park in May, valued at $3,000 to $5,000.

Those funds, Terrazas said, would be used to purchase a camera-surveillance system he plans to install on roofs covering both a kitchen and the storage room the burglars targeted.

Some of the money collected already went to replace two padlocks that were chopped off during the burglary with bigger and stronger ones.

Other security cameras would be installed inside two storage units in same building and on the field's backstop chain link fence to protect a ground-level electric box.

Terrazas also said he plans to purchase a new electric pitching machine that throws fast balls for about $1,500. More sophisticated machines equipped to toss curve balls can cost up to $3,600.

EDCO, a company that collects residential and commercial waste, also came to the rescue, helping the league's cause by donating a metal container to be used as a safer storage unit.

Terrazas said once the 8 feet by 22 feet container is available, it would be parked inside an outdoor lot surrounded by three brick and mortar walls only accessible through a gate.

The lot is attached to the park's large pool building.

The new and roomier storage container would be used to stash all the league's equipment after weekday practices, scrimmage and weekend games.

“That would help us feel a little more secure,” Terrazas said. “Those things are a little harder to break into.”

Another layer of security would be added to a tall brick wall overlooking the lot in which the container will stand. Cameras would be installed at a height difficult for vandals to tamper with, he said.

“I'm very thankful for all the support we've had,” Terrazas said of the donations and the uplifting messages from community members. “But I'm also hopeful that people and neighbors are now paying more attention to what goes on in the park.”

Before the outpouring of resources to support the league's volunteers and the 150 children currently registered to play in the fall season, Councilmember Roberto Uranga set out to persuade fellow councilmembers to allocate money to replace the lost netting used to protect fans while they watch games from the bleachers.

At the Oct. 3 City Council meeting, Uranga awarded $4,716 from the Citywide Activities Department to Louie Terrazas' wife, Elysa Terrazas, his sister Angie, league Vice President Jose Villa and his 7-old-son, Elias.

Villa said he and the many volunteers running the league are grateful the city stepped up to the plate with money to purchase the stolen netting and to make the park safer.

“All of us have jobs, fulltime jobs,” Villa said, “but we take overtime to be with the kids.”

Elysa Terrazas told the councilmembers on Oct. 3 that this year, the league's leadership made it a goal to launch a fundraising campaign and reach out to the community to inform them about what they are doing and the impact organized baseball has on children growing up.

“This helps us spread the word even more,” she said, “and we really appreciate it.”

Uranga said he used to coach youth baseball and that two of his sons played at the Silverado Park.

“Little league is a very important place,” Uranga said. “It plays a very important role strengthening the minds of our children and kids.”