THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 5, 1995 TAG: 9503030153
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 28 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
When Mike Cardwell went to the Lynnhaven Boys Baseball Complex to do some work a couple of weeks ago, he got more than he bargained for.
Graffiti - and lots of it. On all the buildings, on signs, on the $4,000 scoreboard, on backstops - everywhere. Any visible surface was hit. And as if vandalism isn't bad enough, the perpetrators scrawled some mighty ugly things.
``Lots of curse words and racial slurs. Some gang stuff, according to the police,'' said Cardwell, the league's executive vice president in charge of the Mustang and Bronco divisions. ``They covered our trophy signs with our World Series teams and names of players and all that.
``It was an amazing mess. My jaw dropped when I saw it.''
So Cardwell's task for the day changed drastically. But after much of the painting aspect of the job was completed, the vandals struck again.
``They got us again,'' Cardwell said in disgust. ``After we spray-painted everything we could, they came in with Magic Markers.''
Cardwell wants to get things cleaned up before practice starts Monday and thinks that the job will be complete.
He said the Police Department has a few leads and that, evidently, the same vandals have struck elsewhere in the Great Neck/ Kings Grant area.
``We want to see some justice and let people know they can't be doing these things,'' Cardwell said. ``An awful lot of hard work by parents and volunteers has gone into this place and something like this affects a lot of people.
``Our insurance will pay for this, but we had a lot of work to do to get ready for the 750-or-so kids who play in this league, and this has put us behind.''
After years of dealing with what he calls ``shady'' martial arts institutions, Robert Hawkes has decided to spread the word.
``Most of these people are in it for the money only, and they spread a lot of false hopes,'' said Hawkes, who recently earned an AAU charter and nonprofit status for his newly formed Tidewater Tae Kwon Do Club.
``A lot of these guys tell you they can teach you to defend yourself against weapons and crazy people using them. In all my years, I still haven't learned how to block a bullet.
``I'm upfront with people, and I tell them there are no guarantees.''
Hawkes offers free self-defense classes from time to time and wants to again offer free classes for children. The only fees he charges for his regular classes are to offset the cost of his rent at the Creative Energy School of Dance on Virginia Beach Boulevard.
``I have a job, I'm not in this for the money like the rest of them. It's a big racket for most of these people and they get people to fall into their game,'' he said. ``I'm just trying to give people a place to go and learn without killing their wallet. I want to get a team together for AAU competitions. I dream of getting one of my students to the Olympics.''
Anyone interested in joining Hawkes club can reach him at 490-7737. MEMO: Got an interesting sports-related story to tell. If so, call The Beacon
at 490-7228 and let us know about it, or write to The Beacon, Sports
Department, 4565 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, Va., 23462. The
fax number is 490-7235.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos
by MORT FRYMAN
Mike Cardwell and son, Michael, tour damage to a concessions
building at the Lynnhaven Boys Baseball Complex. The scoreboard and
dugouts also were marred by gang-related graffiti, curse words and
racial slurs.
by CNB