A statue of baseball legend Jackie Robinson that was found dismantled and vandalized has been replaced at the Kansas park where it was stolen.
The life-size copper statue went missing in January from a baseball complex inside McAdams Park in Wichita, and was found days later burned beyond repair. In response, League 42, a nonprofit organization that brings little league baseball to some 600 children at the park, started a GoFundMe to raise money for a replacement.
On Monday, the organization unveiled the replacement statue.
"I hope they know that the Jackie statue is a symbol of good and that they do their best to emulate the values he stood for," League 42 founder Bob Lutz wrote on the group's Facebook page. "Jackie Robinson has come to mean everything to League 42 as we took on the great responsibility of using him as our namesake. It's a challenge, for sure, because there are not many like Jackie throughout human history. His enormous strength, courage and perseverance are uncommon traits for man, at least to the degree Jackie possessed them. What a great role model."
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The unveiling was attended by numerous dignitaries, including former MLB players CC Sabathia, Dellin Betances and Jeremy Guthrie.
MLB said in February that it would cover the costs to replace the symbolic structure and will also provide League 42 with additional funding to support the organization's on-field and academic goals. The league sent several representatives to Monday's event.
Robinson broke baseball's color barrier in 1947, which had kept Black players in separate leagues from MLB until that point. He would go on to be a six-time All Star and the 1949 National League MVP.
His No. 42 jersey is retired by all 30 MLB teams.
