KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A piece of Chadwick Boseman's legacy will live on in Kansas City, Missouri.
Boseman, who died Friday after a battle with colon cancer, donated in 2013 the Monarchs jersey he wore during filming of '42' to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Bob Kendrick, president of the NLBM, said he takes pride in the fact that Boseman's role as Jackie Robinson in the biopic introduced the actor to the world.
"That’s really important because there was a generation of young people who may have heard of Jackie Robinson and maybe knew the story from what they’ve read, but when you see it on the big screen it makes Jackie even more courageous than we already knew him to be," Kendrick said, "and Chad personified this cultural icon and in the process he became a cultural icon.“
Red Carpet laughs w/Chadwick Boseman & Harrison Ford at our ‘13 screening of “42!” Chadwick presented me w/the 1945 Monarchs jersey he wore in the film that’s proudly on display at the NLBM! Chadwick will be missed but his legacy plays on at the NLBM! @MLB @Royals @MLB_PLAYERS RT pic.twitter.com/y2jx6jxdaD
— negroleaguesmuseum (@nlbmprez) August 29, 2020
Kendrick said Boseman, who was 43 years old, was lost too soon.
“He is indeed the true definition of what a superhero is," Kendrick said. "The selflessness, the strength of character, the courage, you know, as you’re facing your own battle to steal, yet find the wherewithal to be there to comfort those who are dealing with the exact same thing that you are dealing with that’s amazing.”
