stupid question
stupid question
been told this before just cannot remember how did rocky marciano die?
Re: stupid question
In a plane crash.beduff wrote:been told this before just cannot remember how did rocky marciano die?
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MightyWarrior
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Was he? I've heard of crashing a party, but this is ridiculous.....sorry.steve689 wrote:I think he was on his way to a birthday party.
He was originaly booked on a commercial flight, but switched at the last minute when a friend offered him a free flight in his own two seater. The Rock could never resist a freebie. I think they crashed into a mountain.
And with him went all his millions. The paranoid Marciano had hidden it somewhere, and never told his family where.
The Cessna plane which Marciano travelled in on sunday august 31st 1969, was piloted by a dude called Glenn Belz. The plane took off from Chicago to fly to Des Moines. also in the plane was marcianos pal, a guy called frank farrell. by all accounts the flight should never have happened. the pilot received a weather briefing a half hour before taking off advising him of stormy skies including fog, clouds and a low ceiling around Iowa where they had planned to land. The pilot hadnt been cleared for instrument flying but since he thought he was doing marciano and farrell a wee favour he ignored the warnings. on top of this he had next to no time flying in that type of aircraft. he had only ever flown 231 hours of which 35 were at night.
the problem was this... rockys pal, frank was the son of a guy called louis fratto a business in des moines who had done many favours for rocky. rocky was apparently very ferocious in his regard for friendships and would always put himself out for his buds. so he apparently put a bit of pressure on the pilot insisting they should go.
during the flight the pilot asked for radar assistance but a minute later radioed another airport in iowa saying he had broken out of the clouds and asked for permission to refuel, which was granted. that was the last communication of any with the plane. an eye witness later said that around 9pm he saw a plane. come skimming down at less than 100 feet of the ground about 2 miles south of the airport. it then climbed, disappeared into clouds again then came back into view and began to climb before falling away and vanishing near a hill.
it actually came down in a cornfield where it hit a solitary oak tree. the cessna was completely demolished on impact ( dont know about the tree!) kiling all 3 on board. the main part of the plane skidded for 236 feet away and ended up in a drainage ditch. the pilot and farrell were both thrown clear of the wreckage whilst marciano was found dead still strapped securely in his seat.
the thing about the birthdays was that it was marcianos birthday the following day, 1st September, and it had been his wifes birthday the day before the flight. accoroding to a promoter rocky was involved with and who knocked back a seat on the flight , ben trotta, rocky didnt want to go to iowa but because it was to repay a favour he felt he couldnt refuse. he had wanted to go to Fort Lauderdale and celebrate his birthday with his children.
all very sad really.
the problem was this... rockys pal, frank was the son of a guy called louis fratto a business in des moines who had done many favours for rocky. rocky was apparently very ferocious in his regard for friendships and would always put himself out for his buds. so he apparently put a bit of pressure on the pilot insisting they should go.
during the flight the pilot asked for radar assistance but a minute later radioed another airport in iowa saying he had broken out of the clouds and asked for permission to refuel, which was granted. that was the last communication of any with the plane. an eye witness later said that around 9pm he saw a plane. come skimming down at less than 100 feet of the ground about 2 miles south of the airport. it then climbed, disappeared into clouds again then came back into view and began to climb before falling away and vanishing near a hill.
it actually came down in a cornfield where it hit a solitary oak tree. the cessna was completely demolished on impact ( dont know about the tree!) kiling all 3 on board. the main part of the plane skidded for 236 feet away and ended up in a drainage ditch. the pilot and farrell were both thrown clear of the wreckage whilst marciano was found dead still strapped securely in his seat.
the thing about the birthdays was that it was marcianos birthday the following day, 1st September, and it had been his wifes birthday the day before the flight. accoroding to a promoter rocky was involved with and who knocked back a seat on the flight , ben trotta, rocky didnt want to go to iowa but because it was to repay a favour he felt he couldnt refuse. he had wanted to go to Fort Lauderdale and celebrate his birthday with his children.
all very sad really.