Frank Clair Monument

Coach Frank Clair Monument Unveiled at TD Place Stadium

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (September 25, 2014) – The Vince Lombardi of the Canadian Football League, Frank Clair, was honored with a statue on the concourse of the newly renovated TD Place Stadium in Ottawa on September 6th.

Coach Clair, known as the “Professor”, spent 23 years with the Ottawa Rough Riders – 14 seasons on the sidelines as Head Coach (1956-69) and later served as the General Manager (1970-78), winning 5 Grey Cups (’60, ’68, ’69, ’73, ’76).  In his CFL coaching career, Clair amassed 147 regular season coaching victories and 27 wins in the postseason.

Clair had previously won 2 Grey Cups as Coach of the Toronto Argonauts in 1950 and ’52.

Prior to coaching in the CFL, Clair coached at the University at Buffalo (1948-49) and played tight end for the Washington Redskins (1941) and the Ohio State University Buckeyes (1938-40).

The 7.5′ bronze statue and 4′ engraved granite base weighing over 8,000 pounds were created by sculptor Brian P. Hanlon and Hanlon Sculpture Studio. Hanlon was commissioned by the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group to create this signature monument as part of its stadium renovation project to celebrate its past history and enhance the fan experience.

“It looks just like him,” said former quarterback Russ Jackson, who played for Clair from 1958-69. “When you see a statue like this, it’s the face that stands out to you – and that’s Frank Clair! That’s the guy I saw on the sideline, and in the training room and coaching room.”

ABOUT HANLON SCULPTURE STUDIO

Brian P. Hanlon is a classically-trained master sculptor and founder of Hanlon Sculpture Studio; a full-service art studio that designs, creates, and installs awe-inspiring and signature monuments featuring bronze, aluminum, stainless steel and granite sculptures, illustrative and informational graphics, and interactive kiosks.

Hanlon Sculpture Studio provides complete site design services from sculptures to hard and softscapes, and offers total project management from design to installation and unveiling.  In collaboration with administrative and athletic staff at colleges and universities, the studio develops the scope of artwork projects that are designed to enhance the spirit, pride and tradition of athletics and the campus community.