Lucky Bronze Pork
Apr 5th, 2008 by Marilyn
The Kansas Jayhawks play the North Carolina Tarheels this evening. Soon.
They will play in San Antonio, but here in Lawrence, people are losing their minds. I know, I know, it’s just a stupid game – but when you live in the very center of the game, the damn Naismith birthplace of said stupid game – well, there is no beating them. So you might as well join them.
And that means Rock Chalk – please!
It’s a pretty even match, but everyone can use a little luck, right? Good luck.
The kind of luck only a bronze pig snout can bring.
This big beautiful guy is on the “Country Club Plaza” in Kansas City, Missour-ah, one of the first outdoor shopping-leisure-pleasure zones in the country (thank you!), dating from 1922. It’s home to incredible art, great shopping, and amazing Spanish-style architecture.
Yep, right in Kan-sas City. BBQ and Seville-replica clock towers make an oddly perfect match!
This boar sculpture – he’s one of the only early reproductions of some famous Florence sculptor’s work – Borricelli, Botticelli, Vermicelli, I don’t remember – but he is more than that. He is a lucky pig.
I know ths because everyone who walks by him on the Plaza has been rubbing his snout for luck. For decades. As you can imagine, and as you can see, above, this has not left a lot of bronze on the snout.
But he has, apparently, brought luck to a lot of people. That’s Josie’s hand up there, rubbing off bronze — please, well-sculpted lucky boar, let it be for the Jayhawks. I want a happy family in the off-season.
Porky PS: the post title is inspired not only by Chinese food – just writing “Lucky Bronze Pork” made me want to dial up some twice-cooked, and a few dumplings – but by the very funny and talented cartoon blog Lucky Pork, she of the amusing drawings and the delicious name. Thanks to Jean for the blog tip – and be sure to check it out!
