Man arrested in Robinson statue theft
A 45-year-old man was arrested in the theft of a bronze Jackie Robinson statue that was cut off at the ankles and found days later smoldering in a trash can in a city park in Kansas, police announced Tuesday.
Ricky Alderete was taken into custody earlier this month in a kidnapping case and charged Monday with four counts stemming from the theft and a 2022 case, records show. Wichita police Lt. Aaron Moses said there was no evidence it was a “hate-motivated crime” but rather the intent was to sell the metal for scrap.
Wichita police chief Joe Sullivan said it was “only the first arrest” and that there were more to come. He did not specify how police determined Alderete was a suspect in the theft.
“When you try to take something from this community, it won’t tolerate it,” he said, adding that he was eager to share more details about the investigation after more suspects are in custody.
Thieves cut the bronze statue from its base last month at a park in Wichita, Kansas. Only the statue’s feet were left at McAdams Park, where about 600 children play in a youth baseball league called League 42. It is named after Robinson’ s uniform number with the Brooklyn Dodgers, with whom he broke the major leagues’ color barrier in 1947.
A’S TAB FIRST PLAY-BY-PLAY WOMAN
Veteran baseball broadcaster Jenny Cavnar is the new primary play-by-play announcer for the Athletics, hired by NBC Sports California. Cavnar becomes the first woman to handle primary play-by-play duties in major-league history — set to be the voice for most of the A’s games during the upcoming 2024 season.
She has covered baseball for 17 of her 20 years in the media business, most recently calling Rockies games the past 12 years as a backup play-by-play announcer.
SOLER AGREES TO $42M DEAL
Slugging free-agent outfielder and designated hitter Jorge Soler has agreed to a $42 million, three-year contract with the Giants, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations. The 31-year-old from Cuba was a first-time All-Star last season with Miami.
WAINWRIGHT TO MLBN
Former Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright will now be pitching in on MLB Network.
The recently retired right-hander will serve as an on-air analyst for the network and is set to make his debut on March 28 as part of the Opening Day coverage, MLB announced Tuesday.
Wainwright, 42, previously signed with Fox/ FS1 to call games as a color commentator this season. He had joined that network’s postseason broadcasts after the 2020, 2021 and 2023 seasons. Wainwright retired in October after 18 MLB seasons, all with the Cardinals.