LAKE PLACID — As America continues to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its berth, the legacy of one of the nation’s greatest moments continues to be chronicled at a studio in Loveland, Colorado.
Sculptor Rob Eccleston has made significant progress on the "Monument to a Miracle" sculpture honoring a time when 20 U.S. hockey players shocked the world at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid by defeating the heavily favored Soviet Union in the Miracle on Ice. The team, coached by Herb Brooks, then overcame Finland two days later to secure an improbable gold medal.
“When I presented the sketches to the team, they said it was really nice, but we really want it to be based on the photo of them on the podium because on our backs is USA, not our names,” Eccleston said. “It’s not about us as individuals. It’s about the team. And that spoke volumes to me. It made me more interested in doing the project than ever before because it showed the humility of these amazing hockey players.”
'ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX SCULPTURES'
Eccleston’s work depicts all 20 players on the top rung of the Olympic podium at the medal ceremony.