After more than 10 years of planning, a statue depicting the 1966 Leroy Grannis photograph of legendary Dewey Weber doing a cutback on 22nd Street in Hermosa Beach took its place in front of the Hermosa Community Center this morning at an unveiling ceremony.
The 2,500 pound bronze statue recreates Weber in the photo, down to the board under his foot: a Dewey Performer, the same kind of board Weber rode that day in 1966. It was mounted in the middle of a fountain, and surrounded by drought-tolerant plants evocative of a coral reef.
The unveiling ceremony drew several hundred spectators to the Community Center, and featured an array of speakers.
“Over the years, Dewey received so many honors and recognitions,” said Caroline Weber, his widow. “But I know that to have his own town honor him in this way, to be representative of all the surf legends from the South Bay, this would have been his favorite.”
Weber’s widow brought her family to the podium, including son Shea Weber, who today helms Dewey Weber Surfboards, the company started by his father. In a heartfelt speech, she reminded those in the crowd of the area’s illustrious surfing past.
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The theme was echoed by big-wave surfer Alex Gray, who spoke of the way Weber transformed the surf industry.“Surfing has a unique way of consuming your life,” Gray said. “It’s every surfer’s life to make a living doing it. And that formula [Weber] developed set the template for surf shops here today and around the world.”
Each of the speakers gave thanks to Joe Melchione, whose bequest of $329,000 allowed the statue to be completed. Melchione, who participated each year in the Dewey Weber Classic, a longboard competition, marveled at the way Weber and his contemporaries had set the stage for surfing to become a global phenomenon.
“The entire world has been set ablaze by the tiny spark first ignited by modern long boarders,” said Bob Fenner, a close friend of Melchione’s.
Phil Roberts, the sculptor who crafted the statue, said that although the statue depicted a pro at the height of surfing’s ranks, it was Melchione’s desire that the statue connect with surfers of all abilities.
“He wanted it to be about the Joe Surfer, about every surfer that ever goes out,” Roberts said.
Additional Photos from the ceremony available here.
