More Wood Carvings Added at Bison Beer-Kandy's Complex: The Last Word

Every once in awhile, I'll do a follow-up on a story I previously presented on The Last Word.  It's time to do that again.

It was two years ago when I came to see some wonderful Wizard of Oz wood carvings in Waterford. They are located at the complex on Route 19 that houses Bison Beer and Kandy's Adult Nightclub. Joe Cunningham, the owner of the complex, commissioned the carvings because his complex is more than just beer and bare bodies. It also includes an outdoor playground for kids and a ballfield that local teams can use free of charge. Lisa Glover is the commissioner of the Bison Beer Softball League.

"It's so family friendly and community oriented,” she says. “The kids come and play on the playground. It's safe. The pavilion is here and people will come. They'll even come on a Friday night with pizza and they'll have a little picnic with their family."

The Wizard of Oz wood carvings continue to be a big hit. So, this year Joe decided to include more carvings at the complex. He commissioned the same wood carver, Blain Blakeslee, to make Humpty Dumpty characters that are perched on a wooded fence just outside the softball field. They were placed on the fence two weeks ago for everyone to enjoy. Each figure has a baseball-themed saying or catchphrase that goes with it. Joe recruited Lisa, the softball commissioner, to come up with the phrases.

"So I started talking to a couple other girls that play ball and hang out here. We started coming up with some sayings for them that had to do with softball,” says Lisa.

“There's No Crying in Baseball” is displayed on the Uncle Sam carving. “Ice Ice Baby” is on a figure that represents a guy who plays on a local co-ed team. Miss Piggy's figure says "Just a Little Poke."

"How do you like your toast?" is what the female players say when they hit the ball over a male player's head. That's the saying on a leprechaun Humpty Dumpty carving. "Charge the Mound" says the Pinocchio carving. "He's a Swinger" says Patrick from Spongebob Squarepants. There's also a special carving of Joe Cunningham himself. The phrase on his character appropriately says. "If You Build It, They Will Come."

Everyone is invited to come and see these beautiful and colorful Humpty Dumpty carvings.

By the way, if you want to see what these carvings look like from the playing field, the softball league is recruiting teams and players for its fall league. Just log onto the Bison Beer Softball League Facebook page. The league begins play on September 14.