Fightin' Chauncey nearly complete

Chauncey is nearly ready to take his new position in the Athletic Plaza, the “gateway of athletics” on Chanticleer Drive that leads to Brooks Springs Stadium and Brooks Stadium.

The seven-foot-tall sculpture of Chauncey, posed in a boxer’s stance, is ready for installation, which is scheduled for Sept. 30, with a dedication most likely on Homecoming Weekend.

The Athletic Plaza will include the gateway, a sitting area, a bus turn and a walkway between the softball and baseball complex. Pavers will lead onto Chanticleer Drive creating a natural view and walkway through the area. The bronze statue of Chauncey the mascot will be placed in the middle of the plaza to greet sports fans.

Assistant professor of art Logan Woodle has worked on the statue for about a year. He started with a 17-inch maquette (small preliminary model) clay of Chauncey in a boxer’s pose with a fierce look and raised fists. Students in the sculpting program provided hands-on help last semester during the entire process with molds, casting and pouring of wax. About 350 to 400 pounds of oil-based clay was used in the sculpting.

Chauncey was cast in 20 to 24 pieces and then welded back together. The seams were sanded down to a smooth finish, and a protective lacquer was applied that turned the bronze figure a nice brown shade.

“We wanted him to be super-heroesque in the tradition of Batman or Captain America, but with a more universal pose,” says Woodle. “He’s in the classic Renaissance style, like David, with muscle.”

Behind the Athletic Plaza, the Brooks Stadium/Spring Brooks Stadium parking lot project combines what was called the Brooks Stadium parking lot and what has been called the RV parking lot that was between the baseball stadium and University Boulevard. It adds more than 280 parking spaces, four RV spaces and eight handicapped spaces.