I looked at Snopes, but they didn’t have anything.
A few weeks ago I visited Yale University, and took a guided tour of the campus. When we passed a statue of Nathan Hale the girl leading the tour told a story that went as followed:
Yale built this statue of Nathan Hale. Then, the CIA wanted a statue of him too, so they asked Yale to give them theirs. Yale refused. Rather than take “no” for an answer, the CIA snuck onto campus and either cast a mold of it, or took some pictures. The CIA now has a statue of the same design at their headquater (according to the guide.)
The proof that this isn’t a coincidence is (supposedly) that, since there were no portraits of Nathan Hale, or descriptions, Yale held a contest in which the male students struck their most dashing poses for the sculptor. The sculptor then chose the winner, and made the statue of Nathan Hale, using the winner of this contest as the face and body of “Nathan Hale.”
Is this true? Personally, I’m skeptical.
Oh god, sorry I posted this in the wrong place. Please move this to GQ.
To show you how absurd this thing is, read my link here http://www.ci.chi.il.us/WarMemorials/nathan_hale.html which indicates that the Chicago Tribune actually beat the CIA to the punch but sereptitously getting their copy in 1940. (Hmmm? Cecil. Chicago. CIA. Naahhh!)
This is part of a stupid conspiracy thingy that has to do with George Bush the Father going to Yale, where Hale went, and belonging to the CIA, etc. Crapola.
Moving to GQ
– Alpha, who has a statue of Alan Hale Jr.
The Hale statue in City Hall Park, lower Manhattan, is much purtier, I think. The CIA should’ve swiped THAT one.
Why did the CIA want a statue of one of history’s least effective spies? Isn’t he only famous for being hung and “I regret…”?
From samclem’s link:
“He taught the young men in the town during the day but in the early morning hours, he taught the young women too.”
Maybe he was just famous, and they wanted to erect a statue.