More details of Jenkins statue unveiling revealed

More details have been unveiled ahead of next month’s celebration honouring local baseball legend Fergie Jenkins.

A dedication ceremony will be held to unveil a statue of the MLB hall of famer in front of the Civic Centre in Chatham on Saturday, June 10.

Municipal officials said the ceremony will begin at 1:45 p.m. and it will be open to the public.

A family-friendly after-party will then be held at the Sons of Kent Brewery on Adelaide Street. The first 300 children will be given a complimentary Rawlings Chicago Cubs baseball, as well as a hot dog and drink.

Jenkins played professional baseball from 1965-1983, during that time he was the first Canadian to win the Cy Young award. A premiere pitcher of his era, Jenkins was a National League All-Star for three seasons, and finished his career with a record 284 game wins and 3,192 strikeouts.

The statue and pedestal are being paid for through sponsorship dollars. The Chatham-Kent statue will be a replica of one unveiled at Wrigley Field in Chicago in 2022.

More details about the unveiling ceremony itself, including other MLB players and Hall of Famers who are expected to attend, will be released in the coming weeks.