An 8-year-old boy shattered the backboard at "Tornado Alley" after he threw a large rock at it.

 

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A large rock was thrown Sunday night into the half-court — dubbed "Tornado Alley" — and it shattered the state-of-the-art backboard that lures dozens of city residents each day.

Porter said he's identified the young vandal through surveillance cameras mounted at the half-court behind 105 Ruby St. He's not interested in pressing charges against the 8-year-old boy who tossed the rock into the 72-by-42-inch, tempered-glass backboard.

He does, however, want to replace the backboard as soon as possible. Problem is, it's an expensive job that will cost more than $1,000.

The lifetime city resident and longtime basketball fanatic is asking for a little help in bringing back the game.

Until he does, he expects to hear wanna-be Michael Jordans and Kobe Bryants knocking on his front door.

"The kids have been over all day," Porter said Monday afternoon, "saying, 'Yo, what's up? Who did this?' "

One boy who knocked on Porter's door offered all the money in his pockets — 57 cents.

On any given day, the court is used by 40 to 50 city youths, Porter said.

"It's open 9 (a.m.) to 9 (p.m.), everyday, 365 days a year — rain, sleet or snow," he said. "I've seen them shovel snow off the court and play on it."

All games stopped at about 7:30 p.m. Sunday, when the boy tossed the rock. Porter said he didn't hear anything that night, but later found the rock and noticed the spider-webbed backboard.

On Monday, Porter watched surveillance videos. From one angle, he could clearly see the boy tossing the rock.

Porter said the vandal was a boy who has played on the court.

"I didn't believe it," Porter said. "I thought it might have been someone that targeted the court. An older kid."

Porter went to the boy's home and showed the footage to his parents. They acknowledged the child in the video as their son.

"They were shocked," Porter said.

The boy "tried to say he was sorry, in broken English," Porter said.

Porter said he isn't going to press charges because he doesn't want the boy to face repercussions from the many ballers who play in Tornado Alley.

Also, Porter said, the boy is from a low-income family. "They can barely pay rent," he said.

Five years ago, Porter constructed the macadam-top court and NBA-style backboard and hoop. He decided to build the court when a neighborhood basketball hoop was torn down.

"There was nowhere else for the kids to play," Porter said. "I just remembered how much fun I had playing."

Porter, a 1974 McCaskey High School graduate, named the half-court in honor of his alma mater's mascot — the Red Tornado.

Five years after the first jump shots and slam dunks, Tornado Alley now hosts daily games and competitions. Many local athletes — past and present — frequent the half-court, which has 12-foot wooden fences on three sides. Former McCaskey High School basketball standouts stop by to teach young players.

Porter will now have to custom-order a new backboard, pay shipping costs for the 200-pound item, then rent a jack to install it.

Donations to help replace the backboard can be made from Porter's Web site, tornadoalleyhoops.com, or by calling Porter's home at 392-5428.

Porter has paid for previous damages and basic upkeep bills, but he said the damages this time are "major." Excess donated funds will be spent on the court.

E-mail: bhambright@lnpnews.com