1st Canadian elected into Baseball Hall of Fame gets bronze statue unveiled in hometown | CBC News

Fergie Jenkins is back in southwestern Ontario this weekend and says he’s “pretty excited” to have a statue in his hometown of Chatham, Ont.

“It’s very humbling, and to have my children be the ones to unveil it makes it even more special,” he said, in a statement circulated by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

A Cy Young winner in 1971, Jenkins won 20 games in six straight seasons for the Chicago Cubs from 1967-72 — and had his number 31 retired by the Cubs.

The 80-year-old former MLB pitcher was the first Canadian ever elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., back in 1991. 

WATCH | Ferguson Jenkins 1991 Hall of Fame Induction Speech

The statue unveiling takes place Saturday in front of the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre — in downtown Chatham.

It’s a replica of the statue by sculptor Lou Cella that was introduced outside of Chicago’s Wrigley Field in spring 2022. 

“We drove the statue from Chicago ourselves to be sure that it arrived on time and intact,” said Cella, in a news release issued by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

“We know how important this event is for Chatham-Kent and we are proud to be a part of it.”

WATCH | Canadian Fergie Jenkins discusses getting statue outside Wrigley Field 

Canadian Fergie Jenkins discusses getting statue outside Wrigley Field

Fergie Jenkins, the first-ever Canadian baseball player inducted into Cooperstown, talks to CBC’s News Network about the statue being erected outside Wrigley Field in his honour.

Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff says the statue is close to 11 feet tall, and without the pedestal stands around 7 feet tall.

“They wanted an action picture,” said Canniff.

“He’s making a pitch, so he’s wound right up — his arm is back, his leg is out the other way, ready to make a pitch. It’s a real action statue. It looks amazing where it is right in front of the Civic Centre here in Chatham.”