League 42: ‘We have this incredible opportunity now in the wake of a disaster’

Following the theft and shocking destruction of League 42’s Jackie Robinson statue, the nonprofit youth baseball league’s founder and executive director Bob Lutz has felt a range of emotions.

“You pull out a dictionary of emotions . . . and I’ve covered them all, starting with disbelief and sadness and literally losing my breath to six days later . . . having hope in humanity and being thankful for the incredible outpouring of support.”

Another overwhelming feeling also emerged that Lutz knew he had to seize upon.

“We have this incredible opportunity now in the wake of a disaster, and we’re trying to take advantage of that,” he said.

“We’ve got the platform now to tell people about our organization and what we do and why we picked the name League 42.”

The nonprofit organization, which is named for the legendary baseball trailblazer’s number, serves several hundred low-income youth in its baseball league every year.

Between the time the early-morning theft happened Jan. 25 and Tuesday, the league had raised $22,000 to replace the statue.

Tuesday also is when police held a news conference to report the bronze statue was found in pieces in Garvey Park, charred and beyond saving.

Since then, donations shot up to more than $132,000 as of early Wednesday afternoon.

“So we bumped up the goal,” Lutz said.

It’s now at $150,000, and Lutz said he may up it again.

“We have many needs in our organization that go beyond the statue,” he said. “Of course, that’s the most pressing need.”

His close friend John Parsons, who died in 2022, created the 275-pound statue in 2021 — recently enough that the mold for it is still viable to create a new one at the same Loveland, Colo., foundry where the original was made.

Lutz said the original cost $41,500, “But keep in mind, one of my best friends did this sculpture, and he was so dedicated to doing it that he gave us a very, very reduced price.”

In addition to replacing the statue, Lutz said the league has a number of ongoing needs, such as an education initiative and a number of facilities needs, including new lights, some of which have been in the fields “for longer than I’ve been alive, believe it or not.”

He’d also like some artificial turf for the players and some landscaping around the statue.

The league also will use part of the money raised to enhance security for the statue.

“We can’t really talk about how we’re going to do that,” Lutz said.

There will, though, be more lighting and cameras. Part of the footage from the crime came from neighbors’ front porch cameras.

With the improvements and the cost to make and transport the statue, Lutz estimates the total price will be about $125,000.

“We definitely want to try to deter anyone who would think about doing this again.”

He said he also wants to send a message that the league won’t retreat. Lutz said some have suggested not replacing the statue, “which in my opinion is ludicrous.”

Others have suggested putting it indoors, which Lutz also will not consider.

“That would be a retreat in the face of this terrible crime,” he said. “As Jackie Robinson would — in the face of all the adversity he faced — we want to remain strong.”

When Lutz founded the league in 2013, he named it League 42 both to honor Robinson and to encourage the kids in the league through someone who was so inspiring.

Today, there’s a paid staff with an annual budget of around $425,000, and there are now four fields at McAdams Park where just over 600 boys and girls will play again starting with practice in March and their first game on April 15. That happens to be Jackie Robinson Day in Major League Baseball.

This Wednesday, Jan. 31, is the celebration of what would have been Robinson’s 105th birthday.

That his birthday comes amid this ordeal is not lost on Lutz, and he knows that it’s thanks to Robinson that the league is now raising so much money.

“We understand the outpouring that comes with Jackie Robinson. It’s amazing, and we’re honored to represent him in some small way.”

Lutz wants to make it clear, however, that “there is no ounce in my fiber that is happy about this.”

He said he’s trying to suppress his anger over the crime and focus on all the positives that are coming the league’s way. He said he feels raw even though there’s now money for a new physical statue, but he said it can’t quite be replaced emotionally.

Still, Lutz is determined to have a new statue back where the original cherished one was, and he knows his friend who created it would have been equally determined.

“He and I would have exchanged some bad words, and then we probably would have had a beer or two, and then we’d decide that we were not going to succumb to this heinous activity.”

This story was originally published January 31, 2024 at 1:20 PM.