Ted Bates Statue is Remembered...

Just trawling the Interweb and found an article about a very poor statue of Lucille Ball.

I then read the comments and guess what other 'bad' statue was brought up? It's the first friggin' comment posted

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2015/04/07/terrifying-lucille-ball-statue-will-haunt-your-dreams

 

I don't remember the first statue. When was that? (I've been out of the country for upwards of 20 years!) It was a bit of a mess wasn't it?

 

I can't remember if I'm honest, but it was when I was working at a firm called Microlights Limited and that was over seven years ago - I remember reading the comments on forums and absolutely crying laughing - well you had to really, if you took it seriously you'd just cry....

 

the first statue was hideous, mostly for the fact it looked nothing like Ted, and everything like that famous son of pompey Milan mandaric.

 

Looked at the sculptor's portfolio. Interesting fact he shares with the sculptor of the original Ted Bates statue, and I think it may be key as to why they both got their bronzes so inaccurate. Neither have/had done precisely featured recreations before of faces [or in the case of our sculptor, bodies as well]. The Lucille Ball sculptor had done many generic statues of people, but nothing of precise accuracy. Both sculptors lack of experience in that field let them down. We got ours perfect after Leon Crouch shelled out [something that shouldn't be forgotten] but he people of Celoron, NY. need to sort theirs out pretty quick before it gives some poor bleeder a heart attack.

 

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2015/04/07/terrifying-lucille-ball-statue-will-haunt-your-dreams

Click on the link, scroll down to the end of the Lucille Ball article and then you'll find a picture.

If you have advert hiding software going you may find you don't see it. I'll come up with a picture in a minute

 

Here you go Dave:

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The problem with this statue is many fold. Basically it is amazingly out of proportion. Plus, the face is of Ted Bates when he was a much older man, not of the Bates we knew in his era as Saints manager. It's so different [and inaccurate in any case] that it resembles Milan Mandaric, the former Pompey owner. So that was a complete no-no. The sculptor either used an incredible lack of foresight when bringing the elements of the statue together or he was simply biting off too much for his skill and experience.

Luckily, the replacement is just about as good as it gets. It's incredibly accurate and captures Ted in his prime as a manager, walking along the touchline [I've always assumed that's the depiction] after a home win.

 

The fact that his head is twice the size of the football sums up that monstrosity! The current statue is quite brilliant, and not just by comparison.

 

I thought the 1st statue of Ted was truly memorable? Once seen, never forgotten, I'm still having nightmares.

 

Crikey, let's make this thread look much nicer:

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Phew..! Order is restored.

 

The hands always make me laugh on the original!

 

Heavens as a civil engineer (e.g. no artistic talent whatsoever) l think l could have done better - just!

 

I am reminded of the Tony Hancock film "The Rebel" (showing my ago) when l consider the original statue an as others have rightly written, the second statue is lovely.

 

this

 

I do a fair bit of (amateur) art and design but I have no experience whatsoever in sculpting but I did read that the original fella had not taken into account the 'shrinkage' with regard to castings.

Apparently the body parts have to made much bigger or something....and this wasn't done correctly or at all and therefore you end up with an out of proportion Portsmouth owner.

What I could never understand is the people at the time who said 'We've seen it and Saints' fans are going to love it'......Hmmmm.

 

Exactly my thought at the time, once the dust had settled. It took perhaps all of half of second to realise something was definitely wrong. Looking at it for a minute or two just revealed how much was wrong.

 

Yep. I'm too young to remember, but I'd have loved to see the unveiling...

 

It was deeply embarrassing as his family was there. Should never have got that far.

 

Jesus Christ I forgot how much that thing looked like Mandaric

 

I recall the statue heavily featured in the BBC's word cup coverage, looking like a homage our initial work of art.