Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas has canceled the rest of a $127,035 pledge to the Kansas City (Mo.) Public Library because of publicity over the unpaid amount.
The Kansas City Star reported July 16 that Thomas, who earns about $4 million a year, has paid only $61,231.45 of the pledge that he made two years ago to pay the overdue fines of more than 4,000 children.
A spokeswoman for Thomas said the library had “harassed us constantly,” adding that Thomas would give the money to another children’s reading program.
Library Executive Director Daniel J. Bradbury told the newspaper: “It’s too bad he didn’t keep his publicly made commitment, which included a whole bunch of kids for whom he’s a role model. On the other hand, you can’t make a donor want to give. I guess we and Derrick Thomas both missed the opportunity to do something good for the kids of Kansas City.”
Posted July 26, 1999.