(8/30/10-WRN) Authorities in La Crosse say a fire that caused extensive damage to a baseball field might have been set on purpose. It happened early yesterday at Copeland Park, a city-owned facility used by the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League. The third base dugout was heavily damaged, along with a large part of the grandstand along the third base line. A fire-fighter injured a shoulder and was taken treated at a La Crosse hospital and later released. Investigators believe the fire was started in a corner of the dugout where paper, plastic, and a towel were started on fire. Police said they found footprints that went from the dug-out to the pitchers’ mound – and the same footprints indicated that the person had run around the bases. A fire-fighter reported seeing a man walk near the stadium’s beer garden as units arrived. The Loggers are a summer team made up of college baseball players. Their general manager, Chris Goodell, said the team is devastated – and the community and youth baseball teams that also used Copeland Park suffered as well.
