A tribute to baseball legend Jackie Robinson was destroyed. A Loveland foundry is recreating it

In The NOCO

It was a shocking crime.

In January, thieves in Wichita, Kansas allegedly stole and destroyed a bronze statue of Jackie Robinson, the trailblazing baseball player and civil rights hero. Only the statue's bronze shoes were left behind. The statue had stood near ballfields used by League 42 – a youth baseball league named after the number on Robinson’s uniform.

News of the crime generated an outpouring of support, including more than half a million dollars in donations to replace the statue. And the work to create the new statue is happening in Loveland.

Art Castings of Colorado, which was started in 1972, specializes in bronze sculptures. The company worked on the original Jackie Robinson statue. Now, the staff at the foundry is creating the replacement, which League 42 plans to dedicate later this year..

Art Castings owner Tony Workman joined host Erin O'Toole to share what makes the statue so special.