by T.K. Stewart
Brockton, Mass. - Former heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano, the only heavyweight champion to ever retire undefeated, will be honored by the US Postal Service as the Brockton, Massachusetts Post Office will soon be renamed after the former champ. It will become known as the Rocky Marciano Post Office Building.
Marciano, who had a ring record of 49-0 (43KOs) is still greatly remembered by the residents of Brockton even though it's been 53 years since he fought Archie Moore in his last fight and nearly 39 years since the small plane in which he was a passenger crashed during a rainstorm into a tree in a Newton, Iowa corn field on August 31, 1969.
The accident occurred one day before his 46th birthday. President Bush signed into law the bill naming the Commercial Street post office after "The Brockton Blockbuster", after U.S. Representative Stephen Lynch filed the legislation at the request of Brockton's Mayor James Harrington.
In a press release, Democratic Massachusetts Senator, John Kerry stated, "The real Rocky's legacy extends far beyond Brockton and the boxing world, but it's fitting to honor him here at home where he got his start. Naming this post office after him will serve as a lasting reminder of his accomplishments." Marciano's boyhood home is on the corner of Dover Street and Rocky Marciano Way in Brockton which is in a quiet, residential neighborhood. Marciano grew up in Brockton and always considered the small town his home even after he retired from the ring and moved to Florida.
Directly across the street from the home, which this writer visited, is James Edgar Park where Marciano played baseball as a youth. Marciano's first love was baseball and his dream was to play professionally, but it turned out he was more successful as a boxer. Also across the street from Marciano's former home is a large rock, protected by a chain link fence, with a plaque that has a likeness of Marciano on it.
In part the plaque reads, "He Beat Them All! Because He Refused to Lose." The city of Brockton also has plans to erect a bronze statue of Marciano someplace in town but the decision where it will be is still up in the air.
The statue is going to be built and paid for by Jose Sulaiman and the WBC and given as a gift to the city. Sulaiman said he may visit Brockton, also the former home of Marvelous Marvin Hagler, in October.
Much like the Rocky Balboa statue in Philadelphia, the Marciano statue has met with some citizen debate as to the best possible location. Mayor Harrington said he won't make a decision until after he met on Thursday afternoon with a committee that was formed earlier this year to decide where the statue should go.
“We’re just trying to make a decision that everybody’s happy with,” said Harrington, who is the committee chairman. “We just don’t want to have any hurt feelings.” Harrington will then make the final decision on where the statue should be located after he consults with the surviving members of Marciano's family.
For questions or comments e-mail: tkstewartboxing@gmail.com
