The BEST Thanksgiving ever! My father's statue unveiling at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum!

Bob Motley's statue completes the Field of Legends.
Hall of Famers Josh Gibson (catcher) and Martin Dihigo (batter) all at home plate!

What a GREAT Thanksgiving gift! The BEST EVER!

On the night of Wednesday, November 22, 2017, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City unveiled the life-size bronze statue of my late father Bob Motley!  The ceremony was absolutely beautiful.

Below is the transcript of remarks I read at the induction ceremony.  As you can imagine it was a very emotional night for me and my family, especially considering that my dad passed away  just 2 months ago.

A lot of people said that it was "too bad" that he wasn't there to see it and be apart of the celebration.  And yes that is true.  But - it occurred to me, that he would not want to be there and wouldn't have really enjoyed it if my mother was not by his side to experience it with him.  My mom died in February 2016 and they were a team! They did and celebrated everything together, so for something this big, it's no doubt that he want on to the great unknown to look down and be with her to celebrate from the celestial heavens.  For that, I am grateful!

Ok.....here are my remarks.  Enjoy! 

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Good evening everyone!  As Bob Motley would say, "PLAY BALL"!!!! 

What an incredible and exciting night!  The best Thanksgiving blessing ever!!!

On behalf of the family of Bob Motley, my sister Bobette and I would like to thank you all for coming out to celebrate with us what is undoubtedly a historic night and event for our family.  

First of all, as a family, we give praise and honor to God, the invisible superpower and spirit, for blessing this occasion and the years of our lives with a wonderful, supporting and loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather - we called Daddy & Papa - some of you  called him Uncle Bob, or Bob or Mr. Motley.  Or if he ever got on your nerves, a few other choice words I'm sure!

Unfortunately, neither of our parents chose to be here in human form to witness this day, but there is no doubt that they are here partying right along in their glorious spirits participating on a different plane of consciousness that none of us, at this moment, can fully grasp, comprehend, recognize, nor appreciate.  

As a matter of fact, there is not a doubt in my mind that my mother Pearline is the force behind the inspired the making of this statue.  I say that because, 

#1. Immediately after my initial phone call with Dick Davis I could instinctively feel in my heart that she was the driving source behind the concept. 

#2. Dick had business cards made for all of us who were soliciting funds for contributions for the statue.  I gave Dick my mailing address to put on the cards which is Poppy Peak Drive.  When the cards arrived, the address was Poppy Pearl Drive!  A coincidence?  I think not!

#3. A few days after daddy died, I was going through some old family photos and discovered this photo of them together here at the grand opening ceremony of the museum in 1997!  That's when I knew for sure, Miss Pearl was the guiding force behind this statue! 

Pearline & Bob Motley at the opening of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in 1997, standing in almost the exact spot where his statue would be added to complete the "Field of Legends" almost 20 years to the day!

Daddy knew about the upcoming statue and was impressed, but couldn't quite understand what all the fuss was about.  The boy born in rural Autaugaville, Alabama throughout his life remained as humble as his roots.  

Daddy never dreamed he would grow up to write a book about his life, OR be considered a living legend, OR become a Montford Point Marine...one of our country's first Black Marines, OR receive a Purple Heart, OR one day be inducted into his home state of Alabama's Calhoun County Sports Hall of Fame, OR have a Bob Motley Day celebrated in his honor in his adopted hometown of KC and one in Anniston, Al where he grew up, OR receive a Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, OR meet and dine with and literally nearly charm the skirt AND tiara off of Princess Margaret (the sister of Queen Elizabeth), OR give speeches about his life at colleges and Rotary clubs across the country, OR be friends with and give baseball advice to a billion dollar owning CEO of a major league baseball franchise who would often seek his personal advise on decisions he was making for his ballclub, OR years later he would be given a World Series ring by the next team owner celebrating the 2015 World Championship of his beloved KC Royals. NOR did he EVER think there would be a statue of himself accompanied by many great players he actually shared the baseball diamond with in Negro League.   Out of all those honors I just mentioned which of these honors do you think meant most to him? Yep that ring - which he never took off once he put on!  That was the humble nature of daddy.  He loved his accolades but he loved his Royals a wee bit more. Don't get me wrong, he would be beyond tickled to death about tonight, BUT I guarantee you, he'd be wearing that ring!

Our family would like to give special thanks to Bob Kendrick, Ray Doswell, and the staff and B O D of the NLBM for saying a resounding YES to this statue being presented today to complete the field of legends.  Daddy, was a founding member of the NLBM and he was very proud to be a board member.  I know that being on the Board meant more to him than being a "living legend" or "the last surviving umpire from the Negro Leagues".  He only made a big deal out of that when others did.  His focus was to see the life of this facility thrive and exist forever!  Even when his mind was slowly fading, when he read rather in the KC Star that MLB had gifted the NLBM with a 1million dollar contribution.  He called me excited saying, "boy, how 'bout that - the museum is gonna be alright".

Even after we co-wrote his book together, he remained humble and refused to take credit......always telling people "this is my son, he wrote the book". And I would have to remind him....I only wrote it...YOU LIVED IT!  But he'd always have to get the last word in, saying, "yeah, but boy you and this book really put your daddy on the map didn't you"?  All I could do then was just smile and nod.

The biggest thanks of the night and from the hearts of our family goes to Mr. Dick Davis.  When Dick initially called my sister to tell her about his ideal of completing the field of legends with daddy's statue, she called me so excited you would had thought the statue had already been completed!

After I spoke to Dick who wanted our family's blessings to proceed, he went to bat and organized a great team who raised the necessary funds in record time in hopes that Bob Motley would be here in person to witness.  So a BIG THANK YOU and HUGS to Dick Davis - we love you!  

To the staff of Arts KC, members of the KC Royals Royal Lancers organization, and all the civic leaders who came together to help make this statue a reality including long-time family friend Frank White, who my parents loved and respected like a son, the honorable Mayor Sylvester Jones (whose mother my parents were very close to for many years), the honorable Congressman Emanuel Clever, (whom my parents were just in awe of) -- and 2 other former Royals here tonight John Mayberry and Willie Wilson - whom daddy respected and loved so much!  He used to brag to me saying that you guys, Amos Otis and Frank all played with the zest of the old Negro Leaguers and would had fit right into that league with no problem.  Now, he wasn't saying you were good just because you were black either. Uh-uh...many times when he'd see someone who he thought wasn't cutting the muster, he'd sit there, shake his head in disgust and say "hump, humph, humph - pitiful..... that boy couldn't hold none of them ol' black ballplayers jockstrap". Referring to the Negro Leagues of course!   For him to say that you guys were great was the ultimate compliment coming from his umpire mindset...he was a man who never really had a favorite ballplayer and showed no favoritism because he was FIRST an umpire at heart -- As a matter of fact, he never even bothered to look at who was in the line up when we went to games, he'd always wait to see who the umpires were coming out onto the field.  He say, "hmmmm....there's so and so, and there's so and so....." He cared more about who was umping the game than who was playing it!  So tonight tribute is fitting on many levels  But, he really love you guys and really enjoyed watching you play! 

To everyone here and not here as well... THANK YOU!  To each of you who contributed $1 dollar, $50, $100 or $25,000 - thank you for your generosity, love and support for this project! We are eternally grateful for you honoring our father, grandfather and great-grandfather with these monetary gifts to make Dick Davis' dream a reality!

Last but certainly not least......Artist Kwan Wu!  You are a masterful, blessed and gifted artiste!  Thank your for loaning your brilliant craftsmanship to create this incredible statue of daddy.   Kwan invited Dick and I to his studio in August to see the work-in-progress and I was beyond impressed and in awe of his brilliance! I can only imagine what the finished product will be!  Again, thank you - we will forever honor you!  

Because of this statue, my father, "Bob Motley will live forever...someone will always learn about him"!  PLAY BALL!

Family members along with Bob Kendrick (left), Executive Director of Negro League Museum and family friend Dick Davis, who spear-headed the effort for my fathers's statue.

An emotional yours truly speaking on behalf of our family!

Artist Kwan Wu sculpting Bob Motley's statue - August 2017