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Rocky Marciano

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If you're looking for one of the best biographies ever written about anyone then I highly recommend Everett Skehan's - Rocky Marciano: Biography of a First Son.

This book has it all and it's really a tough book to put down once you begin. When you're finished with this one you will really have the complete story of Rocky Marciano from humble beginnings as the son of a shoemaker to Heavyweight Championship to the tragic end.

Skehan's work on Rocky reads like a novel. It's a great subjective, totally honest and entertaining account of Rocco Francis Marcheigiano - the one and only Rocky who retired undefeated blazing his way to a record of 49-0 (43)KO to become the only undefeated Heavyweight Boxing Champion in history.

This book really leaves no stone of the Rock's life uncovered. From boyhood aspiring baseball player of Italian immigrant parents in Brockton, Massachussetts, to struggling contender, to Heavyweight Champion, to a family life after fighting, right up until the tragic last rainy night that would end in Iowa cornfield.

It has all the details of all of Rocky's major fights and the machinations of behind the scenes promoters and managers. Skehan has talked to all of Marciano's business partners, boyhood friends, family members and takes the reader back to Rocky's hometown of Brockton, Massachussetts so one gets a true feeling of what it was like when Rocky was "Champ".

This book is the true undefeated champion of boxing biographies and once a person puts it down they'll feel like they know the man they simply called "The Rock". It's a knockout read!

An engrossing tale of "The Rock". From his early, humble beginings in a one industry town, to his altimate goal of the worlds heavyweight championship. A truly indepth look into the man: his fears,goals and dreams. A winner!!

Everett M. Skehan did a comprehensive, thoroughly professional biography on a great champion long deserving such attention. Rocky Marciano's soft spoken demeanor prompted him to stay away from media opportunities and let his fists do the talking for him. His incredible record of 49 consecutive professional victories with 43 knockouts serves as a glittering testimonial to his skills.

With his quiet demeanor, often to the point of preferring to stay in the background, Marciano would more than likely led an unobtrusive life in his native Brockton, Massachusetts and never missed the publicity had it not been for the fact that he was endowed with a rock hard body and the kind of stamina that brings back memories of boxing's only 3 time champion of the thirties, Hammering Henry Armstrong. Marciano had the shortest reach of any heavyweight titlist, but made up for it with a swarming style that smothered opponents, along with a solid punch that eliminated them.

Skehan's life reveals a major point of irony in life, the relativity of great talents. Marciano had one of the solidest constitutions of any fighter in ring history, possessing awesome power, yet, when he sought to pursue his first love as a boy growing up, baseball, by trying out for the Chicago Cubs s a catcher, he was thwarted. Marciano had the same kind of stolid, stocky build as all-time catching great Yogi Berra of the Yankees. When he tried out for the Cubs, however, he was rejected for not having a strong enough throwing arm. The short term loss proved to be his long term gain since, unless he had ability to rise to the level of a Berra and become a Hall of Famer, Marciano's accomplshments would have diminished compared to his boxing achievements as one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all time.

Marciano was a tireless worker, as this biography reveals. He was able to resist temptation in his determination to reach the top of the fight game in a career that spanned less than a decade, from 1948 to his retirement in 1955 with his celebrated 9th round knockout of Archie Moore, the world light heavyweight champion. Even while on his honeymoon in Miami Beach, Marciano would faithfully rise each morning to do his roadwork on the hotel golf course. On occasions when temptation beckoned and a beautiful woman would be available, Marciano bypassed the momentary pleasure to stay in shape during his fight career. As a result, when he did retire Marciano loaded up on calories and tasted delights of the flesh in rapid scale fashion, seeking to make up for lost time.

While understanding the reason behind Muhammad Ali's "I am the greatest" media campaign, which he acknowledged with the words, "He's trying to build a gate," he also let it be known that he did not appreciate such public relations tactics. He was a quieter sort and such a demeanor was inconsistent with his being and perhaps his understanding.

Skehan also carves out interesting sketches of Marciano's trainer Charlie Goldman and his manager Al Weill. Marciano revered the respected veteran trainer Goldman. He could not abide Weill, particularly when the manager wanted to sack Marciano's life long Brockton friend Allie Colombo. The fiercely loyal Marciano insisted that Colombo be kept on the payroll as a managerial and training assistant.

Everett M. Skehan has produced a biography rich in detail about Rocky Marciano's boxing career and his life out of the ring. The author interviewed Marciano's surviving family members and many of his friends. Skehan often reproduces conversations between them and Rocky word for word, and these conversations are central to this story's telling. We see how Rocky developed from a wild-swinging puncher who missed about 90% of his punches (knocking out opponents with the 10% that landed), into a well-conditioned disciplined professional, who made up for a height and reach disadvantage over most of his opponents by learning how to cover up, avoid absorbing too much punishment by using head movements, and getting inside an opponent in order deliver his own devastating punches. As a professional he took conditioning very seriously, and made sure he had the stamina to go the full number of rounds, if needed. He was never satisfied with winning by decision, and was often angry at himself if he didn't knock out an opponent. He always took to the offensive, moving forward and imposing himself on opponents until he wore them down, and he never gave up. His incredible punching power in both hands and his indomitable will helped lead him to an undefeated pro record of 49-0. He fought the best the heavyweight division had to offer, and never ducked anyone.

Skehan reveals that Rocky was a decent man who was extremely loyal and trusting towards his friends, and at times, his trust was misplaced. But Rocky soon became good at sensing who was a real friend, and who was out to exploit him. Some surprising quirks in his personality are also revealed. Rocky was well aware how boxers throughout history had been exploited by those out to separate them from their money, and so, during his reign as champion he developed a way to keep his: He didn't spend it. When out to dinner with friends, he never paid a bill or tip, and even developed a method of retrieving his money from phone booths. He was notorious for hiding cash in many different places, including, in one instance, a toilet. But he would also loan large amounts of money to friends in need, and, in retirement, would throw his money into investments without signing papers or investigating details about what he was investing in. His string of bad investment decisions are related in a chapter called "The World's Worst Businessman." Rocky's tragic death in a plane crash at age 46 was, as Skehan suggests, made even more tragic by the fact that it could have been avoided if Rocky had a competent pilot with him.

Marciano's complete professional record is included in the appendix, but there is a lack of photographs. This is surprising, given the author's access to friends and surviving family members through interviews. There are only four photographs, reproduced on the back cover, showing Marciano in ring action against Joe Louis, Jersey Joe Walcott, Roland LaStarza, and Ezzard Charles. Photographs of his youth, his family and friends, as well as more ring action shots would have made this book even better. Unlike Roger Kahn's recent biography of Jack Dempsey, this one doesn't attempt to reveal much about the times Marciano lived in. It reveals, though, information about Rocky Marciano the man and boxer that you will find nowhere else, and is written in an easy to read, absorbing style.

You might also want to buy the HBO documentary video on Marciano, also available from Amazon. It contains highlight footage from his significant 1951-52 bouts leading up to his title shot, his epic title bout against Walcott, his title defenses, and interviews with his brothers, sister, and his mother. Skehan's book will bring those black and white fight films to life, and give you the story behind the fights.

A biography of the undefeated champ, from his somewhat hard childhood and attempts
to break into baseball, to his boxing career after the army, to his retirement and the life of Reilly that followed. It's written in an almost fictionalized style - quotes from scenes in Rocky's life come from interviews, doubtless, but as exact quotes they must be taken with a large grain of salt. Skehan doesn't judge, nor is he critical; he merely reports, without skepticism. The picture that emerges is an ambiguous one. The Rock was obviously a tightfisted cheapskate, sometimes to the point of criminality (cheating pay phones, defrauding an insurance company for ten grand). He had strange ideas about money; not trusting banks, he'd squirrel away large chunks of cash. He had all sorts of business deals, shady and otherwise, that he enacted without so much as a signature or IOU. Many of Rocky's friends insist he was staunchly loyal, but his long-time trainer Al Columbo's estrangement, his lifelong argument with another friend over a probably imagined forty bucks, and his failure to help out the boxer he hospitalized all belie this picture. The consensus is that Rocky was pretty much the all-time greatest; since he faced the champions of his time when they were nearing 40, this is disputable, and the book should state that. Certainly, Skehan blatantly glosses over serious flaws in Rocky's character, such as soliciting prostitutes, leaving his wife and daughter for long stretches, cutting short vacations with them, etc. In all this is a thorough, interesting, easy to read bio, but it could stand to show a few more warts than it does. He was a great champion; we don't need to think he was a saint, too.

This biography is a pretty good straightforward report of Marciano's life. The author develops an intimate portrait of the champ, warts and all, through interviews with friends and acquaintances. We get to know what it was like to interact face to face with Marciano. In one sense, it's refreshing to get unanalyzed picture of a subject. But sometimes I wish author delved deeper. My only criticism is that the author doesn't really add any value to the subject, Rocky Marciano. The book lacks psychological insights into Marciano's personality. The author gives a report on the Rock's actions but doesn't penetrate into what made him tick. At several points, the author acknowledges that some of Rock's actions were a mystery to him. But one would expect after writing a book on the guy the author could provide some answers. I understand I'm contradicting myself here but my judgment oscillates between enjoying the straightforward, unadulterated portrait and the need to understand the subject in some deeper sense.

From early obscurity to the king of the heavyweights,we are able to gain an insight into what drove Rocky to be the best.We see how Rocky almost made it at baseball before turning to boxing where he became the only undefeated heavyweight champion.Skehan uses interviews with family members to obtain quotes and discussions which took place between them and Rocky.This gives further insight through those who are closest to him.The boxing action is second to none,no punch is spared.A highly detailed,absorbing and inspiring book.

A great book about the life of one the must underated and greatest boxing champions of all time. A most for any boxing fan or boxing historian.

With big name fighters there are always many glossy hardbacks out there, written by a Johnny-come-lately who wasn't there and has to rely on the words of a bunch of yellowing news paper clippings and so-called Boxing Historians (always wild cards). So when deciding what book to purchase, there is always one main consideration: Authenticity. In the absence of a bio from the horses mouth (boxer recounting his life to a writer), I always seek out the book that has been written by somebody who had access to the fighter and has no apparent axe to grind, or at least access to real people who were there and involved in a daily basis with the fighter.

In the case of Rocky Marciano, who died early and never told his tale personally, there are many books but for me Everett Skehan's effort stands out because, written in the early 80s, it predates any of the others and most importantly Skehan has full access to Marciano's immediate family and cohorts. This allows him to piece the story together with the kind of insight, direct quotes and intimate memories that a pile of old news papers cannot offer.

The book itself is an easy read. You get a good idea of the kind of guy Marciano was, his values and lifestyle, attitude towards fighting, friends, and business, many interesting anecdotes from his life before boxing. His fights are covered in good detail, and to my surprise, rather than going sharply downhill after his retirement, the misadventures of the ageing retired Rock make for some of the best reading in the book. You also get the all important complete professional record at the back which is a necessity in any boxing book.

As for the bad? No photo's to speak of! Also, Skehan does omit certain information and tends to be creative with the truth. Of Marciano's biggest opponents- Louis and Walcott were pushing 40, Moore was in his mid 40s, and Charles was in his early 30s but seemingly waning. Now all of these guys were certainly still dangerous and very capable, but Skehan does gloss over their disadvantages (several years are shaved off Moore's age). Personally I would have liked to of heard more from the opponents before and after the fights, but their personal experiences are generally ignored. Also, Marciano did lose some fights as an amateur. Of course, Skehan always portrays any loss as `a robbery', and whenever he was decked as a pro it was always a lucky `flash knockdown'. Marciano despite his size and crude style was a heavyweight champion, a great fighter and the only in history to retire undefeated, with an incredible 49-0. He does not need Skehan or anybody else to be creative with the truth or build him up as Superman, his achievements speak for them selves.

Overall however, this is a good read. No other book on The Rock is going to give you the kind of in depth access to his early and later life than this one, nor does any other have so much material from family and personal acquaintances. So despite a few semi-minor gripes, Everett Skehan's account is the best and most authoritative out there for the boxing fan looking to educate himself on the life of Rocky Marciano.