Marlins Planning Statue To Honor Jose Fernandez

MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Marlins are planning a bronze statue of Jose Fernandez that will stand at least nine feet high on their ballpark plaza.

The statue will be sculpted by William Behrends, who was responsible for Willie McCovey and Willie Mays statues in San Francisco, and won't be finished for at least six months, Marlins president David Samson said Thursday.

Fernandez, the Marlins' ace, and two others died in a boat crash last September.

Team owner Jeffrey Loria chose the image for the statue, which wasn't disclosed, and hired Behrends.

The Marlins decided to go ahead with the statue even after a state report determined Fernandez was the probable operator of the boat, and had he survived the crash he could have been charged with multiple crimes.

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