Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick was stunned after learning of the death of actor Chadwick Boseman last Friday after a four-year battle with colon cancer. Kendrick called Boseman a respectful young man who brought Jackie Robinson to life in the movie “42,” helping young people identify with the Robinson’s courage in the face of adversity.
When reached by phone, Kendrick reflected upon 2013, when the two first met at the Kansas City premiere of “42” at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum a day before the film was released nationwide. Kendrick appreciated that the film included Robinson’s time in the Negro Leagues in 1945 with the Kansas City Monarchs.
“So the fact that the elements of Robinson’s professional baseball roots were included in the film was significant to us even before we knew who was playing the role of Jackie Robinson,” Kendrick said. “Chadwick became Jackie Robinson -- the mannerisms, the voice inflections, everything was Jackie Robinson. When you saw it play out on the big screen, it makes Jackie even more courageous than we already knew him to be. Chadwick captured the pure essence of this cultural icon. In the process, he transformed into this cultural icon.”
While on the red carpet of the premiere, Boseman and co-stars Harrison Ford and André Holland presented Kendrick with a Kansas City Monarchs road jersey and cap -- the same jersey Boseman wore in the movie, which now hangs at the museum.
“This was my first walk on the red carpet,” Kendrick said. “I milked everything I could get out of being on the carpet. I don’t know when I’ll get back on the carpet.”
Early the next morning, Boseman and Ford met Kendrick at the museum so they could shoot live TV interviews to promote the release of the film. After they finished their work on TV, Kendrick presented Boseman and Ford with the Monarchs home jersey, while Holland received a Birmingham Black Barons jersey. Kendrick then took the trio on a tour of the museum, teaching Boseman about the league that introduced Robinson to the world. Boseman became fascinated with the history of the Negro Leagues and knew the story of Buck O’Neil.
“As we try to make some sense out this tragic death, it does give me some solace that Chadwick’s legacy will forever play on at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum,” Kendrick said. “We had this incredible screening that turned into a huge fundraising event for both the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the greater Kansas City sports commission.
“I remember how great all [the actors] were, but particularly Chadwick with our team here at the museum -- his gentle spirit, the compassion that he showed, ingratiating himself by signing and taking photos. There was this relationship with Chadwick. That’s what makes it hurt even more, that fact that we lost this wonderful human being who just happened to be a tremendous actor.”