Statue of Ernest Burke

Statue in Havre de Grace, Maryland, U.S.

39°32′18.1″N 76°5′24.4″W / 39.538361°N 76.090111°W / 39.538361; -76.090111

A statue of Ernest Burke is a statue of Havre de Grace, Maryland-born baseball player Ernest Burke (1924–2004). It was created by sculptor Austen Brantley and was erected in Havre de Grace's Millard Tydings Memorial Park in 2021.^[1]^[2]

Background

Ernest Burke

Burke is a Havre de Grace-born baseball player for the Negro leagues, playing third base and pitcher for the Baltimore Elite Giants from 1946 to 1949. He enlisted to serve in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, becoming one of the Corps' first Black Marines and fought in the Pacific War before military units were racially integrated.^[3]^[4]

Statue

In July 2016, the Havre de Grave City Council passed a resolution supporting the erection of a memorial dedicated to Burke, with Mayor Bill Martin hoping to provide funding toward raising the statue in 2017.^[4] The statue was unveiled on June 26, 2021^[2]^[5] after fundraising efforts led by Camay Calloway Murphy.^[6]^[7] The statue also features two baseball seats donated by the Aberdeen IronBirds.^[8]

References

^ Anderson, David (June 25, 2021). "Statue of Negro Leagues baseball player Ernest Burke to be unveiled in Havre de Grace this weekend". The Baltimore Sun. The Aegis. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Ernest Burke statue unveiling | PHOTOS". The Baltimore Sun. June 29, 2021. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
^ Moore, Ralph (July 2, 2021). "A statue goes up to honor Ernest Burke, Negro Leagues pitcher". Baltimore Afro-American. Archived from the original on July 2, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
^ ^a ^b Butler, Erika (June 16, 2017). "Havre de Grace mayor hopes to have memorial to Negro League's Ernest Burke this year". The Baltimore Sun. The Aegis. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
^ Halberg, Erik (June 16, 2021). "Havre de Grace prepares to welcome statue of Ernest Burke". Cecil Whig. Archived from the original on August 2, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
^ Stetka, Bill (February 25, 2022). "Ernest Burke Gets His Due: Statue Honoring Negro League Veteran Erected in Havre de Grace in 2021". MLB.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
^ Robinson, Lisa (February 2, 2022). "Daughter of Cab Calloway honors Negro League Baseball legend Ernest Burke". WBAL-TV. Archived from the original on February 16, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
^ Richardson, Michelle (June 27, 2021). "Negro League Baseball player honored with statue". WMAR-TV. Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2022.