The Rocky Marciano Centennial

September 1 was the birthday of Rocky Marciano (1923-1969), who somehow isn’t the same as Rocky Graziano — in fact he isn’t even Rocky Marciano. He was originally Rocky Marchegiano. It’s just like I say every time I come out of a Stallone boxing picture: too many Rockys! Anyway, I’m pretty sure I mixed Graziano and Marciano together in my head ’til now. Graziano was a middleweight; Marciano was a heavyweight. He was in fact the only world heavyweight champ to retire undefeated (after six title bouts, 1952-56). He was especially revered for his ability to stand there and take punishment. His mashed-in face tells the tale.

Marciano was from Brockton, Mass. A ring announcer in nearby Providence couldn’t pronounce Marchegiano so Marciano was devised on the spot, clearly riffing off of Graziano’s already well known name. He also mimicked the slightly older boxer by dabbling in show business a little. He appeared on TV variety, talk and game shows like The Ed Sullivan Show (Sullivan was an older fighter himself; he loved to have boxers on), The Colgate Comedy Hour, The All Star Revue, Person to Person, The Red Skelton Hour, You Bet Your Life, The Keefe Brasselle Show, The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson et al. He played himself in the Jerry Lewis movie The Delicate Delinquent (1957), and was also in College Confidential (1960), and an episode of Combat (1963).

And like Graziano, Marciano had his life story made into a film. Graziano’s is of some course Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956) with Paul Newman. The tv movie Rocky Marciano (1999) features Jon Favreau as the champ, with a cast that includes Penelope Ann Miller, Judd Hirsch, Tony Lo Bianco, and George C. Scott.

Marciano was killed in a plane crash outside Des Moines, Iowa on the eve of his 46th birthday.

There is a lovely arboreal monument to Marciano in the city of my birth, Westerly, Rhode Island.