A statue of the fictitious boxer, Rocky Balboa, finally stands near the Philadelphia Museum of Art, after a struggle about its placement among the local Art Commission. The 8 ft. 6 inch movie prop of Sylvester Stallone's character Rocky, boxing gloved-fists held up triumphantly, has been kicking around the area for decades. It stood for years in front of the Spectrum sports arena, and has been in storage since the Spectrum closed.

Rocky statue fans hoped it would stand at the top of the steps at the art museum to echo Rocky's famous jog route, but art aficionados managed to fend off that blow. The Rocky statue isn't real Art -- get it? Still, like the original Rocky, the statue is a sentimental favorite, so authorities eventually worked out a venue. It was erected near the museum, in Fairmont Park at Kelly Drive, on Sept. 8th.

[09/10/2006]