League 42 Vandalism

[WuDrWu]

Is this turning out to be a blessing in disguise? They’re gonna get more money and more notoriety than anytime in their history.

Something to me just seems off with the investigation. They found the truck. It wasn’t stolen. Why no suspects or arrests? That seems to have died. The statue was burned in a public park? Why would they do that? So it could be found?

I dunno. I’m glad everything is going towards a good cause but my conspiracy theory part of my brain is activated. I’m probably way off base but it’s just a weird deal.

You said the quiet part out loud.

My brain works similarly, but I didn't want to float the speculation because I HATE being that cynical. I don't want to be that cynical.

But damn if it's not extremely difficult to keep from being that cynical these days.

[Shockm]

Here’s the article on the truck that stole the statue. The truck was found abandoned, but not reported stolen. The police report doesn’t say that the truck was stolen, and there could be reasons for that. For example, I know a number of Wichitan’s who are wintering in Alabama, Florida, Texas, and Arizona. However, the police should already know who the owner is, by now, and if the Eagle does its job, I would think that it wouldn’t take long to find the owner of the truck.

https://www.kansas.com/news/local/crime/article284836716.html

[WuDrWu]

Total raised and goal both continue to increase.

191k+ and 200k the new thresholds.

[1972Shocker]

Total raised and goal both continue to increase.

191k+ and 200k the new thresholds.

Average donation of about $50. So this particular effor is largely you common working man or woman.

The really big boys generally wouldn't be contributing via a gofundme page but they may very well contribute to the League 42 Foundation directly via their own private foundations. So I am hopeful some of those folks will step up as well to help out League 42.

[1972Shocker]

That's a really nice and well done article on League 42 and Bob.

I haven't listened to Bob for years, so I may not be current, and maybe Bob has tempered his views on Conservatives (at least the Bob I remember was quite sarcastically disrespectful in his statements towards Conservatives in the past), but the Bob I remember would have made some comments with barbs attached to "Redstate" writers opinions in past years.

Thank you for that article.

I was surprised to learn from the article that his was one of only four statues of Jackie Robinson displayed across the country.

Lutz commissioned his friend John Parsons to design and craft a statue of Robinson to grace the entry to the pavilion. This would be one of only four statues of the baseball player displayed in our nation, and it was quite an endeavor.

[WuDrWu]

They have closed the GoFundMe to any further donations. Total raised there was north of $190,000.

In the midst of something awful, there appears to be a lot of good that has come from this, and that makes me very happy.


That being said, the number of comments that assume the thieves were racist makes me sad. Maybe they were. As the media likes to say, so so often, there is no proof of that, but the bigger point is that you just shouldn't look for hate where it doesn't exist. That way, when it DOES actually rear it's ugly head, it's easier to call them out and stamp out the hate.

But again, very glad League 42 is stronger than ever today. It's good for all the people of our city.

[1972Shocker]

the number of comments that assume the thieves were racist makes me sad. Maybe they were.

But again, very glad League 42 is stronger than ever today. It's good for all the people of our city.

I had noticed that. Thought I had missed some news reported on that.

[Ted Lasso's Neighbor]

I think the race thing started when the AP ran a story with Lutz saying - https://apnews.com/article/jackie-ro...6136a67f687459

“If it turns out it was racially motivated, then obviously that is a deeper societal issue and it certainly would make this a much more concerning theft,” said Bob Lutz, Executive Director of the Little League nonprofit that commissioned the sculpture. “We’ll wait and see what this turns out to be.”

It went out on the wire and the media sensationalized it, especially in opinion pieces such as this one from the KC Star titled 'Whoever lynched Jackie Robinson’s statue in Wichita is not just any old racist' - https://amp.kansascity.com/opinion/o...284887722.html

Personally I think the whole thing was about money like mentioned early on in this thread. Probably some people thinking they could take it and melt it down for cash. Probably the same people who have vandalized other parks both in the past and just the other day by taking copper from lights at another park.

[SubGod22]

That's interesting as nothing I've seen locally has mentioned race, other than nobody believes it was a factor. But leave it to outside media to take something and run with it even if it isn't relevant. Also not surprised Lutz would even hint at it.

[ShockTalk]

That's interesting as nothing I've seen locally has mentioned race, other than nobody believes it was a factor. But leave it to outside media to take something and run with it even if it isn't relevant. Also not surprised Lutz would even hint at it.

Lutz shouldn't have said anything that could be even hinted at being "race baiting". Say all you want if and once it is proven as a motive. Frankly, had they pulled the statue down and left it, likely damaged, then there could be cause for it.

[shoxlax]

I don’t believe it was racially motivated. It was tweakers who were too idiotic to realize they couldn’t melt it with a blow torch no matter how small the pieces.

I could be wrong but things pointing against it being racially motivated:

1. Not on MLK day
2. Not during Black History Month
3. Not defaced on the spot which would’ve been a message far less ambiguous
4. Not done during baseball season

[ShockerFever]

That's interesting as nothing I've seen locally has mentioned race, other than nobody believes it was a factor. But leave it to outside media to take something and run with it even if it isn't relevant. Also not surprised Lutz would even hint at it.

That is the ONLY reason this became a national story… the insinuation that it was about race. If it was a statue of Babe Ruth, it wouldnt even have made the North High Reporter.

[WuDrWu]

That is the ONLY reason this became a national story… the insinuation that it was about race. If it was a statue of Babe Ruth, it wouldnt even have made the North High Reporter.

If it had been a statue of Babe Ruth it would have already been torn down by the City, State or federal government.

[SHOCKvalue]

They have closed the GoFundMe to any further donations. Total raised there was north of $190,000.

In the midst of something awful, there appears to be a lot of good that has come from this, and that makes me very happy.


That being said, the number of comments that assume the thieves were racist makes me sad. Maybe they were. As the media likes to say, so so often, there is no proof of that, but the bigger point is that you just shouldn't look for hate where it doesn't exist. That way, when it DOES actually rear it's ugly head, it's easier to call them out and stamp out the hate.

But again, very glad League 42 is stronger than ever today. It's good for all the people of our city.

It has been said that in current US culture, the demand for racism greatly exceeds the actual supply of racism.

[SubGod22]

KSN - Wichita police make arrest in stolen Jackie Robinson statue

The Wichita Police Department has made an arrest in the case of the stolen Jackie Robinson statue from League 42.

The statue was found “dismantled and burned” on Jan. 30 at Garvey Park in south Wichita. It was stolen a week earlier from McAdams Park at 17th Street North and Ohio. Police released surveillance photos and video after the theft. Investigators were able to find and recover the truck they believe was used in the crime.

News conference was held at 11 am at City Hall.