Rocky Graziano Biography - Rough-and-tumble Childhood, Professional Debut In 1942, Classic Series With Tony Zale
boxer likes city kid
1922-1990
American boxer
In his ten years as a professional boxer, Rocky Graziano held the title of World Middleweight Champion for less than a year; yet he remained one of the most famous athletes in the sport through the time of his death in 1990. Indeed, the 1955 film adaptation of his autobiography, Somebody Up There Likes Me, a series of appearances on comedy shows and television advertisements, and his work as a Republican Party spokesman kept him in the public eye far beyond his athletic career. Even those who were not boxing fans immediately recognized Graziano's New York City attitude and accent—not to mention his battle-scarred face—and enjoyed his pronouncements on fame, fortune, and just about any other topic under the sun. His down-to-earth sensibility also helped him maintain a proper perspective on the ups and downs of his various careers. As he concluded in his 1981 autobiography Somebody Down Here Likes Me Too, "Do me two favors. First, if your kid needs a friend, buy the kid a dog. And second, in the years to come, if you see me making my way down First or Second Avenue in New York City, please don't kick the cane out from unner me. I never really hoit nobody."
Additional Topics
Born in New York City on June 6, 1922, Thomas Rocco Barbella grew up as the fifth child of Nick and Ida (Scinto) Barbella. Nick Barbella had pursued a career
Rocky Graziano
as a welterweight boxer in his youth under the name Fighting Nick Bob, but retired from the sport after about seventy bouts. He encouraged his sons to take up the sport, but his youngest son felt that the elder Barbella …
Graziano immediately began compiling an impressive record in his professional career with a string of knockout wins against his opponents. Overall Graziano racked up sixty-seven wins—fifty-two by knockout—ten losses, and six draws over the next ten years. The high point of his career came in a three-match duel for the title of World Middleweight Champion with Tony Zale between 1946 a…
In addition to his autobiography, Graziano's recurring role as comedienne Martha Raye's boyfriend on her self-titled television show kept him in the public eye throughout the 1950s. Graziano eventually turned into an all-around entertainer, appearing in television shows, movies, plays, and advertisements, almost always in a comic role that played up his Lower East Side persona and ac…
Somebody Up There Likes Me, 1955. After publishing his autobiography in 1955, Graziano agreed to serve as a consultant for the film version of his life, which appeared on movie screens in 1956. He spent several weeks helping star Paul Newman learn his boxing technique, speech patterns, and physical movements in preparation for the film. Although Somebody Up There Likes Me took some dramatic licens…
Graziano, Rocky, with Ralph Corsel. Somebody Down Here Like Me Too. New York: Stein and Day Publishers, 1981. Berger, Phil. "Rocky Graziano, Ex-Ring Champion, Dead at 71." New York Times (May 23, 1990): B7. Povich, Shirley. "Graziano, He Knew the Ropes." Washington Post (May 25, 1990): B01. Povich, Shirley. "Zale Was No Ordinary Boxer." Washington Post (Ma…
Citing this material
Please include a link to this page if you have found this material useful for research or writing a related article. Content on this website is from high-quality, licensed material originally published in print form. You can always be sure you're reading unbiased, factual, and accurate information.
Highlight the text below, right-click, and select “copy”. Paste the link into your website, email, or any other HTML document.
User Comments