A Red Sox fan in Newton, Massachusetts, has a 7-foot statue of legendary Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax in his front yard.
It's not something that is expected to be in Red Sox Nation, but in a front yard in Newton, Massachusetts, there is a 7-foot statue of a Dodgers legend.
Sandy Koufax is no longer on the mound for the Dodgers, but the retired Hall of Famer means a lot to the sculptor who spent two years making it.
"He's 18 percent taller than real Sandy," Bob Gaynor said. "And he's is 1,500 pounds."
Gaynor, a retired lawyer, said sculpting has become a hobby, and Koufax was one of his heroes. He said he was always a fan of how Koufax put his faith before baseball. The legendary lefty was known for not playing on Jewish high holidays, even missing Game 1 of a World Series back in 1965, which also happened to be the date of Yom Kippur.
"He's somebody who was true to his values, someone who really believed in something," Gaynor said.
Gaynor has had talks with the Dodgers about one day donating the statue to the stadium in Los Angeles, but as the Sox take on the Dodgers at Fenway, he has welcomed a few fans to his yard on Cabot Street.
"They're more than welcome. People come every day, asking if they can take pictures, and I'm like, 'Yeah, take all of the pictures you want,'" Gaynor said.
Local
In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area.
Gaynor has tickets to Game 1 and is taking his son. The statue will stay at home and the 78-year-old said for now, he is rooting for the home team.
"If Sandy Koufax warms up and comes out to the mound, I'll be a Dodgers fan," Gaynor said. "But I don't think he's coming out to play, so therefore, I'm a Red Sox fan."
