In January 2024, a bronze Jackie Robinson statue in Wichita was stolen. The man who stole it has been sentenced to 15 years in prison, and the local community is continuing the rebuilding process.
Ricky Alderete, a 45-year-old man, pled guilty in May to the theft. On Friday, Aug. 2, he received his prison sentence for a total of 15 years due to multiple crimes committed by Alderete. He also has to pay $41,500 to League 42, the youth baseball organization that he stole the statue from.
Alderete is the only man arrested for stealing the statue, but security camera footage shows at least two other people assisting him in removing it and cutting it off from its stand.
The only remains of the statue were Robinson’s cleats, as the local police believe that the rest of the statue was taken to be sold as scrap metal.
A new statue is being revealed today at McAdams Park in Wichita, the home of League 42. Almost 600,000 dollars were raised for the league after the statue was stolen, including almost 200,000 from a GoFundMe. These donations allowed the league to make many improvements, as the MLB graciously donated and paid for the statue’s replacement. The new statue is based on the original mold made by artist John Parsons, who passed away in 2022.
With the new statue being unveiled and the thief convicted, League 42 can return to providing a great place for kids to play Little League baseball in Wichita.
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WBN MLB: https://worldbaseball.com/league/mlb/
Photo Credit: An empty home plate sits where a statue of legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson stood until January 25 of this year at McAdams Park, on April 14, 2024, in Wichita, KS. (Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
