The feet of the statue were cut off to remove it, and only the remains of the statue were left standing.
A large statue of Jackie Robinson was stolen from a park in downtown Wichita, Kansas, sparking a large police chase and outrage across the state and city on Friday.
This statue honors the first player to break the MLBand color barrier in 1947. Wichita police said in a Facebook post that the robbery happened Thursday morning.
The statue’s heels were cut off to remove it, leaving only the statue’s base and baseball bats, making it the first African-American legend.
Video shows Jackie Robinson statue stolen from McAdams Park in Wichita (2024)
Social media reports of the theft and security camera footage show two men pulling the sculpture in the dark.
I am saddened by the actions of those who had the audacity to remove the Jackie Robinson statue from the park where children and families in our community gather to play and learn about the history of America’s symbol. baseball ” Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan said at a news conference Friday. This is unsettling for all of us.
He said that the most worrying thing was that the statue was stolen just before the Black Moon.
Jackie Robinson and His Kansas Connection in the Negro Leagues
Robinson played with Kansas for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers and influencing generations of African-American athletes. The way is open. He is considered not only a sports legend but also an icon of the civil rights movement.
A statue honoring Jackie Robinson, the first black major league baseball player, was stolen from a youth baseball stadium.
Wichita City Councilman Brandon Johnson called the robbery “horrific. And quot;disgustingquot; Residents said they were hurt, angry and demanding justice.
And many people want to find those people before they make the law. Johnson said. “Also, the chief and the (district officer) said, if you have that statue, bring it here today. now.equot;
On Friday, the Wichita Metro Crime Commission offered a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest and another $5,000 for clues to the statue recovery.
Sullivan said he expects a salvage yard to contact the police if the statue is picked up for money.
Andquot;For the statue to be returned, we must return those who stole the wealth of our society for their actions. Sullivan said. and I know they will do it again. The resources of the Wichita Police Department were mobilized. The
League 42, a nonprofit league celebrating Robinson’s departure from the Dodgers, paid for his draft, general manager Bob Lutz said. The sculpture was installed in 2021 at McAdams Park, where 600 kids play youth league baseball..