"Where can we donate to help fund a new statue?" - MLB fans reunite to resurrect Jackie Robinson's statue stolen from Kansas Park

Every year on April 15, the MLB honors Jackie Robinson for his trailblazing contributions to the game. A pioneer to be sure, Robinson's courage is as relevant today as it was when he stepped into MLB for the first time nearly 80 years ago.

However, some reprobates in Kansas do not seem to think that the iconic star deserves to be immortalized, or at least, that is not what their actions say. On January 27, a statue commemorating Jackie Robinson was stolen from a pubic park in Wichita, Kansas.

"Absolutely heartbroken for my friends at League 42 in Wichita after the heinous destruction & theft of their beautiful Jackie Robinson statue that welcomed kids and fans to the baseball complex! I was in Wichita to support a fundraising event for League 42 in April 2022!" - KSNNews

Kansas City has a special place in the tale of Robinson's outstanding career. Before becoming the first black player in MLB, starting for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Robinson played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the earstwhile Negro Leagues. In response to the news that the statue had been taken, several fans took to social media to offer their support.

Despite facing unrelenting racism, Robinson hit .297/.383/.452 with 12 home runs, 48 RBIs, and a league-high 29 steals to win the Rookie of the Year Award in 1947. He first wore his iconic jersey number, 42, during an exhibition game against the New York Yankees. In 1997, the number became the first to be retired league-wide by MLB.

The Wichita Police are offering $2,500 for information leading to the arrests of the culprits, and $5,000 for information leading to the recovery of the statue. All that currently remains of the statue are the moulds of Robinson's two feet.

Stealing Jackie Robinson statue is an affront to the very spirit of baseball

Because of Robinson's brave actions, fans no longer see any issue with African-American or black players in the game of baseball. However, this was unfortunately not always the case. Despite teams like the St. Louis Cardinals threatening to strike at his presence in MLB, Robinson pushed forward, and broke down barriers.

Stealing the statue is an affront, not only to the local scene of Wichita, but also the values that Jackie Robinson worked so hard to uphold. If you or anyone you know has any knowledge that could lead to this case being solved, do not hesistate to contact the Wichita Police.