Fate of ‘Rocky’ statue
F. Eugene Dixon, former chair of the Philadelphia Art Commission, was asked in the early ’80s whether the Rocky statue should be placed atop the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Mr. Dixon responded, “Surely you jest.”
City officials had argued that the statue was “not art but a movie prop,” and it was moved to the old Spectrum arena. For the filming of Rocky V, the statue was temporarily moved to the top of the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. For many years, it has been at the bottom of the steps. The Philadelphia Art Commission, not jesting, recently voted 4-1 to move the statue back to the top of the steps.
Landis W. Doner, Jenkintown, islanderdon@gmail.com
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The kerfuffle over the Rocky statue is as artificial as the celluloid boxer. If a Rocky statue defining grit belongs at the Art Museum, cast it in the image of the real Rocky Balboa who fought the real Apollo Creed. Chuck Wepner lost a 1975 bloodbath to Muhammad Ali when he was knocked out in the 15th round. Sylvester Stallone used the fight (and much of Wepner’s persona) to create a billion-dollar franchise. Wepner sued Stallone, claiming he was unjustly enriched by Wepner’s story, settling out of court.
Philadelphia produced many great fighters who demonstrated grit and courage. Harold Johnson, Joey Giardello, and Bernard Hopkins come to mind. Matthew Saad Muhammad — abandoned at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at age 5 — began boxing as Matt Franklin, changing his name when he converted to Islam. He was a champion who fought the best of his generation with power and determination. After winning the championship, he defended it eight times. He remained in Philadelphia after retiring, where he died broke, homeless, and largely forgotten.
Joe Frazier had an equally difficult upbringing. After moving to Philadelphia alone at age 15, he became an Olympic gold medalist and heavyweight champion. He fought Ali three times, beating him in the 1971 title bout that riveted a nation.
Rocky’s sculptor stated that “Rocky is the DNA” of Philadelphia. Nope. Fighters such as the above, and many others who worked in gritty blue-collar jobs, provided the DNA, giving Philadelphia the tough, hardworking ethic it claims, not a celluloid fighter. If the Rocky statue belongs anywhere, it would be near the shuttered Blue Horizon boxing venue in North Philadelphia, which Ring magazine once called the greatest boxing venue in the world. The fictional Rocky is tied to boxing far more than to art.
Stewart Speck, Wynnewood
Expensive ICE
As a lifelong Democrat, I am profoundly disappointed in my party’s apparent capitulation on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding. $10 billion? People not making half of any Congress member’s salary are out in the cold in Minnesota, peacefully registering outrage at the city’s brutal occupation by ICE, and my party is compromising on $10 billion so ICE can have a fleet of Boeing airliners, too. No budget cut for ICE, no congressional imposition of policing standards common in every city in America to protect due process and privacy rights. Democrats had better put up some real opposition now — or they may fail to convince voters later this year that they are a true alternative. Congress, please stand up for the poor folks in Minnesota.
William Culleton, Philadelphia
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