‘It’s embarrassing,’ League 42 founder on Jackie Robinson statue theft
27 January 2024
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Wichita Police Department is investigating after the Jackie Robinson statue at McAdams Park was stolen on Wednesday night.
The statue belonged to League 42, a nonprofit that helps provide opportunities for urban children an opportunity to play youth baseball.
City leaders held a news conference Friday to speak out against the theft.
“I am hopeful and looking forward to the swift hand of justice to meet the individuals involved,” City Councilmember Brandon Johnson said. “We are watching. We have received some incredible updates already. It is never okay to do what we saw. Whether it’s at League 42, whether it’s one of our Wichita keepers, whether it’s our swimming pool or splash pads, this has got to stop.”
Johnson went on to say the theft was “incredibly disgusting.”
“More than frustrated, I am angry to see that this has happened,” Johnson said. “And I am hopeful that justice finds them quickly.
The City of Wichita said the damages are estimated at around $75,000, but Wichita Park and Recreation Director Troy Houtman said it’s about more than just the monetary value of the statue.
“It has a huge impact in regards to the history of our community, the history of baseball, what Jackie Robinson really means,” Houtman said. “This theft is actually the opposite of everything Jackie Robinson stood for, so … it’s just appalling to me.”
The statue meant a lot to those in the community, but it meant a little more to Bob Lutz, the director of League 42. The sculptor, John Parsons, passed away around a year and a half ago and was a close friend of Lutz.
“It was one of his crowning achievements of a storied, long career,” Lutz told KSN Thursday. “I was so proud to get that up at McAdams Park. The City of Wichita was a great partner in creating the Jackie Robinson pavilion, and now it’s just been decimated. And I’m a combination of every emotion you can imagine except joy and happiness.”
Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan said the case is a “priority” and has also mobilized the Wichita Metro Crime Commission, which he said jumped in immediately after he asked for their help.
There is a $2,500 reward for a tip that leads to the arrest of the suspects and a $5,000 reward for the return of the statue.