Last week, a statue of Jackie Robinson was stolen from a park in Wichita, KS, a theft that was about much more than a statue.
Yesterday, the charred remains of the statue were found in a trash can after it was dismantled and burned.
The Wichita Fire Department responded to an early morning call about a trash can fire at a local park. When they arrived and extinguished the flames, they found what was left of the “nonsalvageable” statue honoring the baseball icon.
“It’s really disheartening to see the remnants of the statue, the disgraceful way it’s been disrespected,” said Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan. “This is a direct indication of the pressure our investigators are putting on the perpetrators that committed this act.”
The $50,000 statue was built by artist John Parsons, donated by youth baseball nonprofit, League 42, and placed in the Jackie Robinson Pavilion in McAdams Park in Wichita in 2021.
The theft caused $75,000 in damages, but the impact was priceless for it wasn’t a theft of an artwork or the months spent creating it.
It was a theft of everything Jackie Robinson stood for, all of the pain and suffering he endured and the inspiration he became to so many who wanted a chance to play baseball and obtain equal rights and opportunities outside of the game.
“This was a heartbreaking discovery this morning. I hate to see that the statue was not in one piece,” said Wichita Council member Brandon Johnson. “But I do want everyone to know that we are undeterred and making sure that that statue gets rebuilt and put back there for our community, for League 42, for the young people.”
“That symbol of hope will only be gone for a short time,” he continued.
Jackie Robinson’s life should be learned and remembered by all for he was much more than a statue and the legendary baseball player who broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947.
He was a veteran, a corporate executive, a supporter of unions, a civil rights advocate, a proponent of Black businesses and a crusader for affordable housing.
