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Boxer memorials - statues, parks etc.
Posted: 09 Dec 2003, 02:50
by crooked nose
Does anyone know of memorials to fighters? I mean statues or some other public tributes. First thing I think of is Detroit's Joe Louis Arena. Louisville, KY has Muhammad Ali Blvd. Doesn't New Orleans have a park named after lightweight champ Joe Brown? I know that San Juan PR has a statue of Sixto Escobar. I read recently that Johnny Owen's Welsh hometown has honored his memory with a statue and Lupe Pintor was invited to the unveiling.
Any others come to mind?
Posted: 09 Dec 2003, 07:54
by mrbassie
I think Joe Louis' training camp in pompton lakes was made into a museum or somesuch, I'm not sure about that but it is still there and there's a big engraving of him in marble outside (I saw it on't telly)
Posted: 09 Dec 2003, 09:14
by MightyWarrior
There's a memorial to world light heavy champ Freddie Mills in his hometown of Bournemouth UK.
It took them years to do it, but it's now there in the park in Bournemouth town centre.
Posted: 09 Dec 2003, 11:30
by Eric the Viking
BTW, besides naming the arena named after Louis, the city of Detroit also commissioned both a sculpture of Louis in a boxing pose and a second work, a giant sculpture of a fist which stands outside the arena - here is the description from the
Soul of Detroit webpage - click on the "Photo Gallery" link on the same page for B&W pics of these:
1. Joe Louis Statue
A 12-foot bronze sculpture by Edward Hamilton features Joe in his memorable prime boxing form; based on the number of successful title defenses and caliber of competition, Joe Louis is arguably the greatest heavyweight pugilist; Cobo Hall facing Renaissance Center
2. The Fist Memorial
The beloved Detroit native and world boxing champ, Joe Louis, has a second commanding memorial along at the entrance of the Joe Louis Arena; this 24 ft long sculpture by Robert Graham is a fascinating oversized metaphor for the man with a 6-inch knockout punch; Jefferson in front of Joe Louis Arena
Posted: 09 Dec 2003, 16:56
by lamphey
Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales has statues for three of it's fighting sons:
Eddie Thomas
Howard Winstone
Johnny Owen
Leamington Spa has a statue to honour Randolph Turpin.
Posted: 10 Dec 2003, 18:40
by jamesmcdonnell
Doesn't Philly have a rocky statue in memorial of the film character?
Posted: 10 Dec 2003, 18:55
by bennie
jamesmcdonnell wrote:Doesn't Philly have a rocky statue in memorial of the film character?
Yes, at the top of the Art Museum steps in Philly is a statue of 'Rocky' with both hands in the air, as in the famous movie scene there.
Randolph Turpin had a statue unveiled last year in Warwick.
Posted: 11 Dec 2003, 15:59
by crooked nose
"Monumental erections"? I think that's some bragging on the part of Vlad's fans!
Posted: 13 Dec 2003, 02:36
by Jaclem
there is an Ezzard Charles Drive in Cincinnati, which is near the music hall, which has a sports arena where he fought some of his greatest early fights.
Freddie Mills was the first world champion to come out of cincinnati and when i lived there I tried to help his daughter get a street or SOMETHING named for him. i'v e lost contact, so i don't know if anything has happened...and this is a good reminder to me to follow up on this again.
Posted: 13 Dec 2003, 10:14
by lamphey
Jaclem wrote:
Freddie Mills was the first world champion to come out of cincinnati and when i lived there I tried to help his daughter get a street or SOMETHING named for him.
Obviously a typo ....... you mean Freddie Miller.
Posted: 13 Dec 2003, 14:05
by Jaclem
oops..thanks lamphey.....freddie miller indeed. for those who aren't familiar with him check out his remarkable record on box rec.
Posted: 13 Dec 2003, 14:46
by wsbuf
Didn't I read somewhere that the "Rocky" statue was moved to the front of the Spectrum?
Posted: 15 Dec 2003, 16:38
by delisa
In NYC there is a Jack Dempsey Place and a Joe Louis Place.
THe Je Louis Place is behing the garden on the 8th ave side.
Demspey I seem to recall around Broadway & 51.
Posted: 16 Dec 2003, 00:27
by zurdo
Sacramento has both a Max Baer Park and an Ancil Hoffman Park (Hoffman was Baer's manager)
Its interesting to note that Max Baer Park is located in the same neighborhood as Diego Corrales is from ...I wonder if little Diego ever got some early inspiration from that famous namesake..
Posted: 22 Dec 2003, 06:35
by Simonpure
Perhaps Jaclem or someone else in the area can verify this. I remember an Ezzard Charles middle school being dedicated on the south side of Chicago about twenty years ago.
Also, there was a street named in honor of Zora Folley in his hometown of Chandler, Arizonia, several years before he died.
Posted: 23 Dec 2003, 01:24
by Jaclem
simon...right you are!!..and shame on me forgetting about the ezzard charles school right here in chicago.