On Sept. 1, 1923 Mr. and Mrs. Pierino Marchegiano of Brockton, MA became the proud parents of a lively twelve pound baby boy. The child was named Rocco Marchegiano, but the world would one day know him as the legendary boxer Rocky Marciano. When "bambino Rocco" was 18 months of age, he contracted pneumonia. Although the infection nearly killed him, his exceptionally strong constitution enabled him to survive without impairment. As a pre-teenager, Rocky relished his mother's Italian …showed first 75 words of 2776 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2776 total…everyone in the crowd was upset... many were crying... and some were actually cursing me. I noticed that the only people who were wildly cheering for me, as usual, were my supporters from Brockton.... I then rushed to Louis's corner to console him." On Aug. 31, 1969, at age 46, Rocky was killed in a tragic plane crash. He is fondly remembered by all Brocktonians...His memory will always be the centerpiece of this city's great sports history.