Laverne Roach

[jefferyepayne]

Hi all,

I'm primarily a vintage football card collector but was looking through stacks of old photo's at a flea market and found this:

62156

I didn't know this boxer but the picture looked like an exhibit card so I bought it for 50 cents. Little did I know the story behind this boxer who died tragically in the ring. For those who don't know about him, here is the story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavern_Roach

jeff

[Jerry G]

Thanks, Jeff, for the interesting Wikipedia bio on Lavern Roach. Other than the Exhibit card, the only prior knowledge I had of him was that with a name like Lavern you better be tough!

Here is a snipet of Police Gazette's opinion just before the end of his life. They feature him with the current champ, Graziano and the two previous champs, Zale and Cerdan. Obviously, Police Gazette had high expectations for the former Marine.

[Jerry G]

Just realized that two of the four above featured Middleweights would tragically lose their lives in less than six months after the above Police Gazette publication. Cerdan died in a plane crash on October 27, 1949 at 33 years old. Roach received his final ten count on February 23, 1950 at the age of 25.

No sport can compare the personal tragedies of boxing. An oustanding book that addresses these tragedies and scandals is Nigel Collins' book, Boxing Babylon. There are so many examples that Lavern Roach is never mentioned.

[sikesf]

I have recently written The story of LaVern Roach and am in the process of making some revisions for publication. The manuscript has received positive reviews as one reader states, "a compelling story that needs to be told."