Ted Williams-Fort Myers, Florida - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

This statue stands in the southwest corner of of JetBlue Park/Fenway South in front of the team store, located in Fort Myers, Florida. It is a duplicate of the one located outside of Fenway Park at Gate B in Boston, MA.

The statue stands 8 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 3,500 pounds. It is made of bronze and stands on a black granite base. Created by sculptor Franc Talarico of Scranton, PA. It depicts Ted Williams with a young boy who represents children of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Jimmy Fund Clinic.

Ted is in his Red Sox uniform with the baseball bat resting on his left shoulder as he holds it in his left hand. His right hand is holding his baseball cap which he is placing on the bald head of the child with cancer, who is holding a smaller baseball bat in his left hand at his side.

This statue was unveiled February 14, 2004 at the Ted Williams Museum and Hitter's Hall of Fame in Hernando, Florida. It remained there from 2004-2006. It was later donated to the City of Palms Park by Dave McCarthy where it was rededicated by baseball legend Johnny Pesky on February 28, 2007. It was placed in "Ted Williams Plaza" in front of the City of Palms Park. Pesky was a teammate of Williams with the Red Sox in 1942 and from 1946-1952. It remained at the City of Palms Park from 2007-2012, until the team outgrew the facilities. A newer spring training facility was built near Southwest Florida International Airport known as JetBlue Park/Fenway South. The statue was moved there on February 1, 2012.

There are two bronze plaques on the granite base.
South facing plaques reads as follows:

9
Ted Williams
Boston Red Sox

The greatest hitter who ever lived, an American patriot, and a pioneer in the development of the Jimmy Fund, Ted Williams will forever be one of the great heroes in the history of baseball, Boston and America. He amassed 521 home runs despite sacrificing five years in his prime to serve his country during World War II and in the Korean War. He was a relentless champion of children, such as the child to whom he is offering his cap, in their battles against cancer, and helped make the Jimmy Fund at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute the world renowned center of research and care that it is today.

The memory of Ted Williams will forever be a point of pride for the Boston Red Sox, the people of Fort Myers, Lee County, and the State of Florida, as well a Boston, New England, the United States of America, and the global fan base we call Red Sox Nation.

Dedicated this 28th day of February, 2007

Lee County Board of County Commissioners:
Brian Bigelow, Tammy Hall, Bob Janes, Ray Judah, and Frank Mann

Don Stillwell County Manager Lee County
James T. Humphrey Mayor City of Fort Myers
John W. Henry Principal Owner Boston Red Sox
Tom Werner Chairman Boston Red Sox
Larry Lucchino President/CEO Boston Red Sox


North facing plaque reads as follows:


Ted Williams

Boston Red Sox baseball immortal, Ted Williams, acclaimed as the greatest hitter of all time, was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York in 1966. His brilliant career spanned 21 years, in spite of serving 4 1/2 years in the U.S. Marines. Although Ted’s fans were of all ages, his life-long affection was bestowed upon children Ted helped raise millions of dollars for the “Jimmy Fund” a cancer charity for children and adults.

As long as the game of baseball endures, the name of Ted Williams shall never be forgotten.

Sculptor:
Franc Talarico
Scranton, PA

Commissioned by:
A. Hank Evanish
Taylor, PA

NOTE: There are nine palm trees surrounding the statue, Ted's jersey number was 9.

URL of the statue: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
You must have visited the site in person, not online.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   11/26/2016 BoomersOTR visited it