(Cleveland) - The Cavs and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company unveiled two life-sized Tire sculptures to celebrate a century of basketball history and the start of the 2018-19 Cavaliers Season.
The unique artistic representations are of a Cleveland Cavalier and Goodyear Wingfoot Player, and are just outside the doors of the Cavs Team Shop inside Quicken Loans Arena.
Cavs spokesperson Tracy Marek says, the Cavs is proud to join Goodyear in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the company’s historic roots in competitive basketball during the Cavaliers 2018-19 season.
Goodyear spokesman Tood Macsuga explains, the unique connection between Goodyear and the Cavs begins with a shared DNA in basketball that dates to 1918 with the Akron-based Goodyear Wingfoots, a recreation team founded by Goodyear to test rubber in the soles of athletic shoes.
He says in the 1930’s the Wingfoots became a founding member of the National Basketball League, a precursor to today’s NBA.
The Akron Wingfoots are one of the oldest basketball teams in the United States.
In the 1980s team sponsorship was picked up by Tom Ficara and Reach Entertainment, and the team today plays year-round all over the world.
The Wingfoots are the only AAU Elite team that still plays a full college schedule. Although the team has not yet returned to its previous glory, it has again started playing in the historic AAU National Tournament.
The amazing tire art was constructed from 218 Goodyear tires cut by hand to create the sculptures. They weigh a total of 400 lbs., contain 3120 hidden screws. It took artist Blake McFarland 414 hours to complete both statues.
(Photos by Ken Robinson/WTAM)
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