Nine Dragon Wall

Nine Dragon Wall, 2004

170 West Cermak Road

            The Nine Dragon Wall is located to the west of the CTA Red Line stop in Chinatown , on the northeast corner of West Cermak and South Wentworth Avenue. This well-traveled area of Chinatown showcases a wall similar to one located in BeiHai Park, Beijing, built in 1402. An example of traditional Chinese architecture, this wall was funded by the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce. There are only three replicas of The Nine Dragon Wall outside of China. The nine large dragons and more than 500 other smaller dragons are painted in colors of good fortune: red, gold and blue. In Chinese culture, the symbol of the dragon is sacred and considered the emblem of Chinese national spirit. The number nine is believed to have magical powers. The original Nine Dragon Walls were built by the emperors of Ming and Qing dynasty to show the supremacy of their power.

The Brotherhood Monument

The Brotherhood Monument, 1954

Egon Weiner

Northwest corner of Diversey Parkway and Sheridan Road

            Vienna-born artist Egon Weiner (1906-1987) came to Chicago in 1938 after the German occupation of Austria, after which Nazis picked up his mother and he never saw her again. He taught at the Art Institute from 1945 to 1971 and encouraged artists to take the risk and reveal emotions, “the expression of that fire that burns in all of us.”

            Weiner created two identical bronze groups for either side of the entrance to a building that, at the time, housed the headquarters of the Union of Amalgamated Meatcutters and Butcher Workmen. When the Union moved its base to Washington, D.C. in 1979, the building was sold to St. Joseph hospital. The kneeling figures, including two males and two females in each group, grasp each others extended arms and form a circle. The facial characteristics are different on each figure, intended to represent the peoples of Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. Along with the inscriptions on the base, such as “Liberty,” “Tolerance,” “Equality,” and “Peace in Unity,” the sense of togetherness and cooperation made the works an appropriate motif for a Union headquarters, in the sense that members must forgo individual egos in favor of the collective good. 

Polyphony II

Polyphony II, 1964

Egon Weiner

Southeast corner of St. Joseph Hospital

2900 North Lake Shore Drive

            Polyphony, in musical terms, is when two or more simultaneous melodic lines are perceived as independent even though they are related. This open form, welded bronze construction, created by Chicago sculptor Egon Weiner, suggests lightning bolts or arrows that intersect even as they appear to move in different directions. Located on the grounds of St. Joseph Hospital, the white, cylindrical concrete base echoes the shafts on the lower level of the building. 

          Closely related in form to Polyphony, a sculpture displayed on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, this work is not far from another Weiner sculpture, The Brotherhood Monument, which sits at the entrance of the St. Joseph Hospital Professional Offices.

Billy Williams and Ron Santo

Billy Williams, 2010 and Ron Santo, 2011

Lou Cella

Wrigley Field

1060 West Addison Street

            Known as “Sweet Swinging” Billy Williams (born 1938) for his smooth batting motion, the left fielder had 426 homers and 1475 RBIs during his career and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. His number 26 also was retired in August of that year. This statue was unveiled during a pre-game ceremony on September 7, 2010.

            Williams spent most of his career with the Chicago Cubs and was voted “Rookie of the Year” in 1961, playing alongside third baseman Ron Santo. Williams never played in a World Series as a Cub but did make it to the post season while with the Oakland Athletics.

            Depicted making a cross-body throw from third base to nail a runner at first, Ron Santo (1940-2010) was beloved both as third baseman for the Chicago Cubs from 1960-74 and as radio color commentator for the team from 1990-2010. Although the nine-time National League All Star and five-time Gold Glove recipient was denied entrance into the Baseball Hall of Fame during his lifetime, he was posthumously elected to the Class of 2012 by the Golden Era Committee. Former teammate Billy Williams became a member of that group in 2011 and he helped make the case for Santo’s election.

            Santo played his entire career with Type I diabetes, a disease that resulted in the amputation of his lower legs late in his life, and he was an active fundraiser and supporter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. His jersey number 10 was retired by the Cubs organization on September 28, 2003. He knew of the plans to erect this statue at Wrigley Field, but he died before the unveiling at the corner of Addison and Sheffield on August 10, 2011. 

Ernie Banks

Ernie Banks, 2008

Lou Cella

Wrigley Field

1060 West Addison Street

            Artist Lou Cella used Ernest Clifton “Ernie” Banks at-bat against Hall of Famer Warren Spahn on August 29, 1959 as the inspiration for this 300-pound statue of the power-hitting shortstop. Banks hit a grand slam off of Spahn that day so the choice is a fitting tribute to the player who set record for grand slams in a single season (five) in 1955 that stood for more than 30 years.

            Fabricated from steel, wood, fiberglass and bronze, the piece was unveiled on March 31, 2008 with Banks (born 1931) in attendance, along with hundreds of Cubs fans, Hall of Famer Henry “Hank” Aaron and former teammates Billy Williams and Ron Santo.  In addition to being the first African American to play for the Cubs, Banks’ number 14 was the first one retired in 1982. Banks received two Most Valuable Player awards, in 1958 and 1959, hit 512 home runs and earned 1636 RBIs during his 19-year career. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.

            Banks, known as “Mr. Cub,” played his entire career under one mayor (Richard J. Daley), one owner (P.K. Wrigley) and in one park (Wrigley Field). His enthusiasm for the game comes through in his famous phrase “It’s a beautiful day for a ballgame. . . Let’s play two!”