On August 28th, 2020 the world received news that Chadwick Boseman (42, Get On Up, Black Panther) tragically passed away from colon cancer.

The Jackie Robinson role was his first big part and it brought him to Chattanooga. The movie “42” shot scenes in minor league ballparks across the country. Our local Engel Stadium (former home of the Lookouts) doubled as Brooklyn's Ebbets Field for the movie.

As a lifelong Chattanooga native, and as someone who played on the field at Engel Stadium as a child, I have watched one of our most historic sites deteriorate and fall into disrepair. With the history tied to the stadium and in the current climate in the USA, the message of the movie 42 resonates deeply. It is my belief that in the wake of this unexpected tragedy, we can and should come together not only to honor Chadwick......but to honor his legacy and the message his debut onto the world's stage expressed so profoundly.

Hopefully I am not the only one who feels this way. Hopefully our elected officials will hear this request and help Chattanooga preserve a piece of history in such a way that future generations will be able to appreciate it while learning about Jackie Robinson and Chadwick Boseman respectively.