Boxing world champion # 18 - Rocky Marciano
Another one of Czesław Słania's non-postal, private, engravings, the eighteenth in a series of 23 engravings of heavy-weight boxing world champions, starting with John Sullivan and ending with Cassius Clay.
Rocky Marciano, byname of Rocco Francis Marchegiano, also called the Brockton Blockbuster, (born September 1, 1923, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S.—died August 31, 1969, near Newton, Iowa), world heavyweight boxing champion from September 23, 1952, when he knocked out champion Jersey Joe Walcott in 13 rounds in Philadelphia, to April 27, 1956, when he retired from the ring. Marciano was undefeated in 49 professional fights, scoring 43 knockouts. Among his victims were two former heavyweight champions other than Walcott: Joe Louis and Ezzard Charles.
First interested in a professional baseball career, Marciano began to box while in the U.S. Army during World War II. He had his first professional fight on March 17, 1947. Knockouts of Rex Layne, Joe Louis, Lee Savold, and Harry (Kid) Matthews earned him a chance to win the championship. Marciano, knocked down by Walcott in the first round, was behind on points when, in the 13th round, he knocked the champion unconscious with a single punch.
At age 32, Marciano retired after defending the championship six times. An unscientific but hard-punching and exceptionally durable fighter, he completely dominated the heavyweight division. He was killed in an airplane crash. [Source: Britannica]
On eBay these boxer stamps seem to be traded much like baseball cards, but because of the real rarity of them, prices can get quite high, and fake copies exist. I just checked, Cassius Clay stamps are priced from 4 USD for a block of four, or c. 9,900 USD for a single, while a complete series can be had for c. 60 USD. Makes you wonder which are genuine and which are fakes. I bought mine directly from Słania, so I know they are the real deal.
Słania was a great fan of boxing. In 1987, when he and his friend and colleague Hans Nyman were in Toronto for the world exhibition Capex 87, the fire alarm went off in their hotel. Nyman, who was staying on the third floor rushed out of bed and down to the lobby, but there was no sign of Słania among the hundreds of hotel guests. It turned out to be a false alarm, so everyone returned to their rooms. In the morning Nyman asked why Słania didn't get down. He replied that he was watching a boxing match on TV and since he was staying on the 14th floor, he probably wouldn't be able to get down in time, so he might as well keep watching the match. That's dedication for you. [Source: Thorsten Sandberg: "Czeslaw Slania The Collector's Icon - Colleague - Friend", Postryttaren 2008, my translation].
Czesław Słania (1921-2005) was the fantastic engraver who made over 1,000 stamp engravings (actually 1,070) in addition to many other works.
He created stamps for these 35 countries or postal administrations:
Australia
Belgium
China
Denmark
Estonia
Faroe Islands
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Great Britain
Greenland
Hong Kong
Iceland
Ireland
Jamaica
Latvia
Lithuania
Marshall Islands
Monaco
New Zeeland
Poland
San Marino
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
Tunisia
United Nations Geneva
United Nations New York
United Nations Vienna
United States
Vatican
Åland
Boxing world champion # 18 - Rocky Marciano
Another one of Czesław Słania's non-postal, private, engravings, the eighteenth in a series of 23 engravings of heavy-weight boxing world champions, starting with John Sullivan and ending with Cassius Clay.
Rocky Marciano, byname of Rocco Francis Marchegiano, also called the Brockton Blockbuster, (born September 1, 1923, Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S.—died August 31, 1969, near Newton, Iowa), world heavyweight boxing champion from September 23, 1952, when he knocked out champion Jersey Joe Walcott in 13 rounds in Philadelphia, to April 27, 1956, when he retired from the ring. Marciano was undefeated in 49 professional fights, scoring 43 knockouts. Among his victims were two former heavyweight champions other than Walcott: Joe Louis and Ezzard Charles.
First interested in a professional baseball career, Marciano began to box while in the U.S. Army during World War II. He had his first professional fight on March 17, 1947. Knockouts of Rex Layne, Joe Louis, Lee Savold, and Harry (Kid) Matthews earned him a chance to win the championship. Marciano, knocked down by Walcott in the first round, was behind on points when, in the 13th round, he knocked the champion unconscious with a single punch.
At age 32, Marciano retired after defending the championship six times. An unscientific but hard-punching and exceptionally durable fighter, he completely dominated the heavyweight division. He was killed in an airplane crash. [Source: Britannica]
On eBay these boxer stamps seem to be traded much like baseball cards, but because of the real rarity of them, prices can get quite high, and fake copies exist. I just checked, Cassius Clay stamps are priced from 4 USD for a block of four, or c. 9,900 USD for a single, while a complete series can be had for c. 60 USD. Makes you wonder which are genuine and which are fakes. I bought mine directly from Słania, so I know they are the real deal.
Słania was a great fan of boxing. In 1987, when he and his friend and colleague Hans Nyman were in Toronto for the world exhibition Capex 87, the fire alarm went off in their hotel. Nyman, who was staying on the third floor rushed out of bed and down to the lobby, but there was no sign of Słania among the hundreds of hotel guests. It turned out to be a false alarm, so everyone returned to their rooms. In the morning Nyman asked why Słania didn't get down. He replied that he was watching a boxing match on TV and since he was staying on the 14th floor, he probably wouldn't be able to get down in time, so he might as well keep watching the match. That's dedication for you. [Source: Thorsten Sandberg: "Czeslaw Slania The Collector's Icon - Colleague - Friend", Postryttaren 2008, my translation].
Czesław Słania (1921-2005) was the fantastic engraver who made over 1,000 stamp engravings (actually 1,070) in addition to many other works.
He created stamps for these 35 countries or postal administrations:
Australia
Belgium
China
Denmark
Estonia
Faroe Islands
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Great Britain
Greenland
Hong Kong
Iceland
Ireland
Jamaica
Latvia
Lithuania
Marshall Islands
Monaco
New Zeeland
Poland
San Marino
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
Tunisia
United Nations Geneva
United Nations New York
United Nations Vienna
United States
Vatican
Åland