[Robert's-Theory of Terrorism in Gestalt Psychology] Rocky Marciano

[Robert Nyakundi]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rocky Marciano

Statistics
Real name	Rocco Francis Marchegiano
Nickname(s)	The Brockton Blockbuster The Rock from Brockton
Rated at	Heavyweight
Height	1.80m (5 ft 11 in)
Nationality	American
Birth date	September 1, 1923
Birth place	Brockton, Massachusetts
Death date	August 31, 1969 (aged 45)
Death place	Near Newton, Iowa
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	49
Wins	49
Wins by KO	43
Losses	0
Draws	0
No contests	0

Rocky Marciano (September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969), born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, was an Italian-American boxer and the heavyweight champion of the world from September 23, 1952, to April 27, 1956, when he retired as the only heavyweight champion in boxing history to retire having won every fight in his professional career.

Contents  [hide] 1 Biography 1.1 Early years 1.2 Amateur circuit 1.3 Professional career 1.4 Championship 1.5 After boxing 1.6 Death 2 Legacy 3 Professional boxing record 4 See also 5 References and Notes 6 External links

[edit]Biography

[edit]Early years

Marciano was an Italian-American, born and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts to Pierino Marchegiano and Pasqualina Picciuto. Both of his parents were immigrants from Italy: his father was from Ripa Teatina, Abruzzo, while his mother was from San Bartolomeo in Galdo, Campania. Rocky had three sisters - Alice, Concetta, and Elizabeth - and two brothers - Louis and Peter. When he was about eighteen months old, he contracted pneumonia, from which he almost died.

In his youth, he played baseball, worked out on homemade weightlifting equipment, and used a stuffed mail bag that hung from a tree in his back yard as aheavy bag. He attended Brockton High School, where he played on the American football and baseball teams. However, he was cut from the school baseball team because he had joined a church league, violating a school rule forbidding players from joining other teams. He dropped out of school after finishing tenth grade.

Marciano then worked as a chute man on delivery trucks for the Brockton Ice and Coal Company. He also worked as a ditch digger and as a shoemaker. Rocky was also a resident of Hanson, Massachusetts; the house he lived in still stands on Main Street.

In March 1943, Marciano was drafted into the army for a term of two years. Stationed in Wales, he helped ferry supplies across the English Channel toNormandy. After the war ended, he completed his service in March 1946 at Fort Lewis, Washington.^[1]

[edit]Amateur circuit

While awaiting discharge, Marciano, representing the army, won the 1946 amateur armed forces boxing tournament. His amateur career was interrupted on March 17, 1947, when Marciano stepped into the ring as a professional competitor. That night, he knocked out Lee Epperson in three rounds. In an unusual move, however, Marciano returned to the amateur ranks and fought in the Golden Gloves All-East Championship Tournament in March 1948. He was beaten by Coley Wallace.^[2] He continued to fight as an amateur throughout the spring and competed in the AAU Olympic tryouts in the Boston Garden. There, he knocked out George McGinnis, but hurt his hands during the bout and was forced to withdraw from the tournament. That was his last amateur bout.^[3] His amateur years, with an 8-4 record, would be the last time Marciano experienced a loss.^[4]

In late March, 1947, Marciano and a few of his friends traveled to Fayetteville, North Carolina, to try out for the Fayetteville Cubs, a farm team for the Chicago Cubs baseball team.^[5] Marciano lasted three weeks before being cut. After failing to find a spot on another team, he returned to Brockton and began boxing training with longtime friend, Allie Colombo. Al Weill served as his manager and Charley Goldman as his trainer and teacher.

[edit]Professional career

Although he had one professional fight (against Lee Epperson) on his record, Marciano began fighting permanently as a professional boxer on July 12, 1948. That night, he notched a win over Harry Bilizarian. He won his first sixteen bouts by knockout, all before the fifth round, and nine before the first round was over. Don Mogard became the first boxer to last the distance with "The Rock," but Marciano won by decision.

Early in his career, he changed the spelling of his last name. The ring announcer in Providence, Rhode Island could not pronounce Marchegiano, so Marciano's handler, Al Weill, suggested they create a pseudonym. The first suggestion was Rocky Mack, which Marciano rejected. He decided to go with the more Italian-sounding "Marciano".^[6]

Marciano won three more fights by knockout, and then he met Ted Lowry, who, according to many scribes and witnesses, probably managed to win three or four of the ten rounds from Marciano. Nevertheless, Marciano kept his winning streak alive by beating Lowry by decision. Marciano fought Lowry again in November 1950 and it too went the scheduled ten round distance. Four more knockout wins followed his first fight with Lowry, including a five rounder on December 19, 1949 with Phil Muscato, an experienced heavyweight from Buffalo, New York, and the first "name fighter" Marciano would face. Three weeks after that fight, Marciano beat Carmine Vingo in a fifth round knockout in New York that almost killed Vingo. When Marciano next fought in late March 1950, he gained a hard-fought ten-round decision victory over the fighter who would later become his 1953 world title challenger, Roland La Starza. The victory over La Starza was extremely close. Marciano won 6-4 on all scorecards.

Marciano won three more knockouts in a row before a rematch with Lowry. Marciano again won, by unanimous decision. After that, he won four more by knockout, and, after a decision win over Red Applegate late April 1951, he was showcased on national television for the first time, when he knocked out Rex Layne in six rounds on July 12, 1951. One more win, and he was again on national TV, this time against Joe Louis. Marciano defeated Louis in what would be the latter's last career bout, a result that left him with mixed emotions, as Louis had been his childhood idol.

[edit]Championship

After four more wins, including victories over Lee Savold and Harry Matthews, Marciano faced the world heavyweight champion, 38-year-old Jersey Joe Walcott, in Philadelphia on September 23, 1952. Walcott dropped Marciano in the first round and steadily built a points lead; but in the thirteenth, Marciano's "Suzie Q" right cross knocked Walcott unconscious, and Marciano was the new world heavyweight champion. His first defense came a year later against Walcott, who this time was knocked out in the first round. Next, it was Roland La Starza's turn to challenge Marciano. After building a small lead on the judges' scorecards all the way to the middle rounds, Marciano won by a technical knockout in the eleventh round.

Then came two consecutive bouts against former world heavyweight champion and light-heavyweight legend Ezzard Charles, who became the only man to ever last fifteen rounds against Marciano. Marciano won the first fight on points and the second by an eight-round knockout. Then, Marciano met British and European champion, Don Cockell. Marciano knocked him out in the ninth.

Marciano's last title bout was against Archie Moore on September 21, 1955. The bout was originally scheduled for September 20, but because of hurricane warnings, it had to be delayed a day. Marciano was knocked down for a four count in the second round, but he got up and knocked out Moore in the ninth round. Moore was also knocked down in the sixth and eighth rounds, but was saved by the bell.

Marciano announced his retirement on April 27, 1956.^[7]

[edit]After boxing

Marciano considered a comeback in 1959 when Ingemar Johansson won the heavyweight championship from Floyd Patterson on June 26, 1959. After only a month of training in three years, Marciano decided against it and never seriously considered a comeback again.^[8]

After his retirement, Marciano hosted a weekly boxing show on TV for one year. For a brief period, he worked as a troubleshooting referee in wrestling (Marciano was a good wrestler in high school). He continued as a referee and boxing commentator in boxing matches for many years.

In late July 1969, shortly before his death, Marciano participated in the filming of the fantasy, The Superfight: Marciano vs. Ali. The two boxers were filmed sparring, then the film was edited to match a computer simulation of a hypothetical fight between them, each in their prime. It aired on January 20, 1970, with Marciano winning by knockout in 13.

[edit]Death

In 1969, on the eve of his 46th birthday, Marciano was a passenger in a small private plane, a Cessna 172^[9] headed to Des Moines, Iowa. It was at night, and bad weather set in. The pilot, Glenn Belz, had only 231 total hours of flying time, only 35 of them at night, and was not certified to fly in Instrument Meteorological Conditions. Belz tried to set the plane down at a small airfield outside Newton, Iowa, but hit a tree two miles short of the runway. Rocky, Belz (the young pilot), and 22 year old Frankie Farrell (son of Italian mobster Louis Fratto) were killed on impact. The National Transportation Safety Board report said, "The pilot attempted operation exceeding his experience and ability level, continued visual flight rules under adverse weather conditions, and experienced spatial disorientation in the last moments of the flight."^[10] [11]. Marciano was on his way to give a speech to support a friend's son and there was a surprise birthday celebration waiting for him. He had hoped to return early morning for his 46th birthday celebration with his wife. He was coming from a dinner in Chicago at STP CEO Andy Granatelli's home.

He is interred in a crypt at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His wife, who died five years after him at the age of 46, is entombed next to him. His father died in March 1972, his mother in early January 1986.

[edit]Legacy

In 1971, Ring magazine founder Nat Fleischer named Marciano as the tenth greatest heavyweight champion ever.^[12] In 1998, Ring magazine named Marciano as the sixth greatest heavyweight champion ever. In 2002, Ring Magazine numbered Marciano at #12 on the list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years. In 2003, Ring Magazine rated Marciano #14 on the list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. In 2005, Marciano was named the fifth greatest heavyweight of all time by the International Boxing Research Organization.^[13] A 1977 ranking by Ring magazine listed Marciano as the greatest Italian-American fighter. In 2007, on ESPN.com's list of the 50 Greatest Boxers of All Time, Marciano was ranked #14. A 1968 radio computer simulation by Murry Woroner concluded that Marciano was the greatest heavyweight champion.^[14]

Marciano holds the record for the longest undefeated streak by a heavyweight and for being the only World Heavyweight Champion to go undefeated throughout his career. This record was challenged byLarry Holmes in 1985 when Holmes went 48-0 before losing to Michael Spinks twice. Light heavyweight Dariusz Michalczewski also challenged Marciano's record when he was 48-0, but lost to Julio César González in his 49th fight. Julio César Chávez holds the record for longest win streak with eighty-eight straight until he suffered a draw in 1993. Willie Pep, a featherweight, had a perfect 62-0 record before he was defeated. Packy McFarland was a lightweight (fighting between 1904-1915) who lost his first fight and then won his next 98, though he never won the lightweight title.

Throughout history, only a few boxers have retired as undefeated world champions. As of 2009 apart from Marciano only Michael Loewe, Pichit Sitbangprachan, Harry Simon, Sven Ottke and Joe Calzaghe retired with a perfect record containing neither defeats nor draws. Ji Won Kim, Terry Marsh and Ricardo Lopez retired without losing a fight but having had at least one draw on their record.

Marciano was knocked down to the canvas only twice in his professional career. The first occurred in his first championship bout, against Jersey Joe Walcott and the second occurred against Archie Moore. On both occasions, he rose to knock his opponent out. Moore stated, after the fight, that fighting Marciano was "like fighting an airplane propeller."

Marciano's punch was tested and it was featured in the December 1963 issue of Boxing Illustrated: "Marciano's knockout blow packs more explosive energy than an armour-piercing bullet and represents as much energy as would be required to spot lift 1000 pounds one foot off the ground." ^[15][16]

Marciano was named fighter of the year by Ring Magazine three times. His three championship fights between 1952-54 were named fights of the year by that magazine. In 2006, an ESPN poll voted Marciano's 1952 championship bout against Walcott as the greatest knockout ever. Marciano also received the Hickok Belt for top professional athlete of the year in 1952. In 1955, he was voted second most important American athlete of the year.

Marciano is a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame.

A bronze statue of Marciano is planned for 2009 in his hometown of Brockton, MA. The statue will be made a gift to the city by the World Boxing Council. A location for the statue has yet to be decided. The artist Mario Rendon, head of the Instituto Universitario de las Bellas Artes in Colima, Mexico, has been selected to sculpt the statue.^[17]

[edit]Professional boxing record

49 Wins (43 knockouts, 6 decisions), 0 Losses, 0 Draws [18]
Result	Opponent	Type	Rd., Time	Date	Location	Notes
Win	Archie Moore	KO	9 (15), 1:19	1955-09-21	The Bronx, NY	After the fight he would retire on 1956-04-27.
Win	Don Cockell	KO	9 (15), 0:54	1955-05-16	San Francisco, CA	Retained World Heavyweight title.
Win	Ezzard Charles	KO	8 (15)	1954-09-17	The Bronx, NY	Retained World Heavyweight title.
Win	Ezzard Charles	Decision (unanimous)	(15)	1954-06-17	The Bronx, NY	Retained World Heavyweight title.
Win	Roland La Starza	TKO	11 (15)	1953-09-24	New York City, NY	Retained World Heavyweight title.
Win	Jersey Joe Walcott	KO	1 (15), 2:25	1953-05-15	Chicago, IL	Retained World Heavyweight title.
Win	Jersey Joe Walcott	KO	13 (15), 0:43	1952-09-23	Philadelphia, PA	Won World Heavyweight title.
Win	Harry Matthews	KO	2 (10), 2:04	1952-07-28	The Bronx, NY
Win	Bernie Reynolds	KO	3 (10), 2:21	1952-05-12	Providence, RI
Win	Gino Buonvino	KO	2 (10)	1952-04-21	Providence, RI
Win	Lee Savold	KO	6 (10), 0:00	1952-02-13	Philadelphia, PA
Win	Joe Louis	KO	8 (10)	1951-10-26	New York City, NY
Win	Freddie Beshore	KO	4 (10), 0:50	1951-08-27	Boston, MA
Win	Rex Layne	KO	6 (10), 0:35	1951-07-12	New York City, NY
Win	Red Applegate	Decision (unanimous)	10 (10)	1951-04-30	Providence, RI
Win	Art Henri	TKO	9 (10), 2:51	1951-03-26	Providence, RI
Win	Harold Mitchell	KO	2 (10), 2:45	1951-03-20	Hartford, CT
Win	Keene Simmons	KO	8 (10), 2:54	1951-01-29	Providence, RI
Win	Bill Wilson	KO	1 (10), 1:50	1950-12-18	Providence, RI
Win	Ted Lowry	Decision (unanimous)	10 (10)	1950-11-13	Providence, RI
Win	Johnny Shkor	KO	6 (10), 1:28	1950-09-18	Providence, RI
Win	Gino Buonvino	KO	10 (10), 0:25	1950-07-10	Boston, MA
Win	Eldridge Eatman	KO	3 (10)	1950-06-05	Providence, RI
Win	Roland La Starza	Decision (split decision)	10 (10)	1950-03-24	New York City, NY
Win	Carmine Vingo	KO	6 (10)	1949-12-30	New York City, NY
Win	Phil Muscato	KO	5 (10), 1:15	1949-12-19	Providence, RI
Win	Pat Richards	KO	2 (10), 0:39	1949-12-02	New York City, NY
Win	Joe Dominic	KO	2 (10), 2:26	1949-11-07	Providence, RI
Win	Ted Lowry	Decision (unanimous)	10 (10)	1949-10-10	Providence, RI
Win	Tommy DiGiorgio	KO	4 (10), 2:54	1949-09-26	Providence, RI
Win	Pete Louthis	KO	3 (10)	1949-08-16	New Bedford, MA
Win	Harry Haft	KO	3 (10), 2:21	1949-07-18	Providence, RI
Win	Don Mogard	Decision	10 (10)	1949-05-23	Providence, RI
Win	Jimmy Evans	KO	3 (10)	1949-05-02	Providence, RI
Win	Jimmy Walls	KO	3 (10), 2:54	1949-04-14	Providence, RI
Win	Artie Donato	KO	1 (10), 0:33	1949-03-28	Providence, RI
Win	Johnny Pretzie	KO	5 (10), 1:46	1949-03-21	Providence, RI
Win	Gilley Ferron	KO	2 (6), 2:21	1948-12-14	Philadelphia, PA
Win	James Connolly	KO	1 (8), 0:57	1948-11-29	Providence, RI
Win	Bob Jefferson	KO	2 (6), 2:30	1948-10-04	Providence, RI
Win	Gilbert Cardone	KO	1 (4), 0:36	1948-09-30	Providence, RI
Win	Bill Hardeman	KO	1 (6)	1948-09-20	Providence, RI
Win	Jerry Jackson	KO	1 (6), 1:08	1948-09-13	Providence, RI
Win	Jimmy Weeks	KO	1 (6), 2:50	1948-08-30	Providence, RI
Win	Eddie Ross	KO	1 (6), 1:03	1948-08-23	Providence, RI
Win	Bobby Quinn	KO	3 (4), 0:22	1948-08-09	Providence, RI
Win	John Edwards	KO	1 (4), 1:19	1948-07-19	Providence, RI
Win	Harry Bilzerian	KO	1 (4)	1948-07-12	Providence, RI
Win	Lee Epperson	KO	3 (4)	1947-03-17	Holyoke, MA

[edit]See also

• List of heavyweight boxing champions

[edit]References and Notes

1. ^ Skehan, Everett M. (1977). Rocky Marciano: Biography of a First Son. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin. pp. 39. ISBN 039525356X.
2. ^ Skehan, Everett M. (1977). Rocky Marciano: Biography of a First Son. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin. pp. 69. ISBN 039525356X.
3. ^ Skehan, Everett M. (1977). Rocky Marciano: Biography of a First Son. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin. pp. 70. ISBN 039525356X.
4. ^ Skehan, Everett M. (1977). Rocky Marciano: Biography of a First Son. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin. pp. 73. ISBN 039525356X.
5. ^ Skehan, Everett M. (1977). Rocky Marciano: Biography of a First Son. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin. pp. 66. ISBN 039525356X.
6. ^ Rocky Marciano at The Port Gallery
7. ^ Mullan (1996). Boxing: The Definitive Illustrated Guide to World Boxing. London, England: Carlton Books. pp. 81. ISBN 0785806415.
8. ^ Skehan, Everett M. (1977). Rocky Marciano: Biography of a first son. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin. pp. 257. ISBN 039525356X.
9. ^ An Article On Marciano At Check Six
10. ^ Thirty Fifth Anniversary Of The Death Of Rocky Marciano
11. ^ Rocky Marciano raised money for the fight against Muscular Dystrophy. [Archive] - Boxing Forum
12. ^ The Ring Online (September, 1971). "Classic Columns". Retrieved 2007-01-18.^{[dead link]}
13. ^ International Boxing Research Organization (March, 2005). "All Time Rankings". Retrieved 2007-01-18.^{[dead link]}
14. ^ Time name Marciano as #14 Greatest Heavyweight
15. ^ A picture of Marciano's punch test at Kolumbus.fi
16. ^ A further picture of Marciano's punch test at Kolumbus.fi
17. ^ [1] Brockton Enterprise: Where to put Rocky?
18. ^ Marciano's stats at BoxRec.com

[edit]External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Rocky Marciano

• Professional boxing record for Rocky Marciano from Boxrec
• Rocky Marciano at Find a Grave
• Rocky Marciano // Official Website
• Check-Six.com - The Crash of Rocky Marciano's Cessna plane
• Rocky Marciano at the Internet Movie Database
• ESPN Greatest Ever KO Poll
• Marciano feature from SPORT magazine

Preceded by Jersey Joe Walcott	World Heavyweight Champion September 23, 1952 – April 27, 1956 (Vacated)	Succeeded by Floyd Patterson filled vacancy
Preceded by Sugar Ray Robinson	Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year 1952	Succeeded by Bobo Olson
Preceded by Allie Reynolds	Hickok Belt Winner 1952	Succeeded by Ben Hogan
Preceded by Bobo Olson	Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year 1954 and 1955	Succeeded by Floyd Patterson

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Posted By Robert Nyakundi to Robert's-Theory of Terrorism in Gestalt Psychology at 3/12/2010 02:45:00 PM