AA Toys 4 Tots - Ba Humbug

[myallstarz]

Before this tournament, I talked to my 12 year old DD about the importance of giving. I told her how good she would feel to know that she in some small way contributed to making someone's Holiday brighter. I told her this was the season of giving. And, that it is a time to count our blessing and to consider those less fortunate than ourselves. She smiled and nodded her head ("right dad'). She seemed a little dismissive of the notion that anybody cares about anything outside their own circumstance. I told her that sometimes people will surprise you in wonderful ways. To which, she rolled her eyes, "right dad."

At the end of her 12u game on Saturday (near I think field 2), she sat her Power Surge bat bag down on the grass to watch a few games. The bag was black and clearly marked "Power Surge - Alicia #44". She and I walked away that day forgetting to pick up the bag. We didn't discover the bag missing until the next morning just before bracket play. I began asking around, we found out that an AA parent (field maintenance) had seen the bat bag and had actually called the Power Surge manager to ask if someone forgot it (unfortunately for us, the call went unanswered). When the parent went back later to check on the bag, it was gone.

The bat bag was not turned in Saturday evening or all day Sunday. It is pretty clear at this point that we ended up giving far more than we had anticipated. The bat bag and its contents (two gloves, a pair of new cleats-size 9, a brand new Stealth bat, prescription goggles, black underarmer, Power Surge helmet and batting gloves - total value about $1,000.00), all gone. It appears someone decided to celebrate the holiday season by taking something that they hadn't earned. My young daughter asks why? All I could say was, "we left the door open, there were probably only two or three people at that tournament capable of stealing from a 12 year old girl, one of them happened to be near the bag that we left unattended. We gave them their opportunity". I told her, "most people would have turned that bag into the snack bar." My DD replied, "right dad, nobody did."

Monitary loss - $1,000.00 plus
Life Lesson (good/bad) - immeasurable

If anyone has any information regarding a missing Power Surge bat bag and its contents, please call me at (213) 379-2848.

[number19]

Wow Allstar. I am SO sorry to hear that happen to you and your daughter. Hopefully honesty will overcome the person who picked it up and the bag will be returned. Did the parent who called the Manager say what happened to the bag?

[upurbox]

Were the Softball Soldiers at the AA's tournament?

OUCH !!!...............lol

[Clean_up]

Someone in the AA's organization was looking for PowerSurge on Saturday evening because a bat bag was left at the field. You should contact "Charlie Hough" because I believe they were looking for a roster to contact the team about it as I was checking pool scores when this was discussed and the bag brought to the canopy. I don't, however, know what became of the bag... Again, this was around the time the last games were being played on Saturday.....

[myallstarz]

Someone in the AA's organization was looking for PowerSurge on Saturday evening because a bat bag was left at the field. You should contact "Charlie Hough" because I believe they were looking for a roster to contact the team about it as I was checking pool scores when this was discussed and the bag brought to the canopy. I don't, however, know what became of the bag... Again, this was around the time the last games were being played on Saturday.....

Thanks for the info "Clean up", I spoke with the snack bar parents on Sunday, they told me that the bag had been seen but no one said it was "brought to the canopy", that is a new bit of information. "Charlie Hough" do you have anymore helpful info??? If we could just get her perscription goggles back, I would be happy... Reward offered for any information leading to the recovery of the missing Power Surge bat bag.

Signed: Can't afford to replace all that stuff

[NumeroUno]

myallstarz,
What size bat did you lose? I may have a good one you can have
#1

[CharlieHough]

It is such a shame that someone took that bag. I have no doubt that is what happened.

I called your coach and let him know your bag was there. The games were still going on but your team had been gone for hours. I left the bag where it was thinking Alicia was still around somewhere and she would grab it at the end of the day.

Went back as everyone was leaving and we were starting to do fields for the next day and it was gone. It was in an area where there were alot of other bags so hopefully someone speaks up!

[Luv_SC]

Ah I hope someone at least has the honesty to return the goggles. I am sorry this happen to you and hope you get all your items returned, Its such a shame that someone would take things from a child we all know how important and irreplacable some of these items are.

[myallstarz]

myallstarz,
What size bat did you lose? I may have a good one you can have
#1

Thanks NumeroUno. The bat was a 32-22. I may decide to take you up on your offer (depending on how tight Christmas is this year). The truth is, the equipment is not as important to me as the message it sends to my DD. I often use the softball community when I lecture her about life. I like to find examples of winning, losing, failure, success, descipline, self control, etc... in the softball world and compare them to life situations. This is the kind of life experience I was hoping she didn't have to see so early. But, the fact is, its just another example of real life. On the bright side, because of people like you and others who do care, I can show examples of compassion and community support (the good stuff). Thanks for giving a d@m.

[Jitterbug]

2 years ago my grand daughter left her cell phone and her bat bag at the AA's toys for tots tournament and the AA's did a fantastic job getting ahold of her coach and getting the items back.