26 January 2024
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The community is outraged tonight, not just because of the theft, but because of what the statue represents. Jackie Robinson made history by becoming the first black man to join Major League Baseball and in is an inspiration to athletes in League 42, in Wichita.
John Parsons crafted the statue by hand as one of his final sculptures, before he died. His widow said getting the call about the statue was devastating.
“I was just, my heart, my stomach just dropped,” said John’s widow, Carol Parsons.
Carol Parsons said it took her late husband, John, nearly a year to craft the Jackie Robinson statue. It took an additional year to see the bronze come to life. He worked closely with Robinson’s widow and daughter, to get the features of the icon just right.
“He was so excited, he was humbled, it was the first sculpture he had actually done that was supposed to look like somebody,” said Parsons.
A personal assignment for Parsons, a life-long friend, to the founder of League 42, Bob Lutz.
Lutz is still processing that the statue is gone.
“It’s anger, it’s disbelief, it’s sadness. I’m trying not to overstate this, but it’s such a huge part of our league,” said Lutz.
He said the hall of fame embodied the character they wish to instill in the kids that play in their league.
“We appeal to a lot of African American families and kids who have gotten to know his story, we have a void in our organization right now without that statue,” said Lutz.
The process to get the statue in McAdams Park took years and permission from the Robinson family. This was something, Lutz said, that makes theft even worse.
“We did obtain that permission, from the Robinson family, to have this happen is embarrassing for our community, it’s an embarrassment,” said Lutz.
Carol Parsons said that her husband left behind the clay mold, so the statue could be remade. However, she said it would mean so much more, to see the original, standing tall League 42’s fields, again.