PHILLY BOXING HISTORY - October 16, 2021 |
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A massive statue of former heavyweight champion Jersey Joe Walcott was unveiled at Wiggins Park Promenade on the Camden Waterfront on Saturday, October 16. The effort was driven by Walcott's grandson Vincent Cream, and carried out by the Camden County Historical Society's Jersey Joe Walcott Statue Committee. Although the actual statue project took approximately three years, Cream had been working to make the tribute a reality for much longer than that. Artist Carl LeVotch created the eight-foot figure that rests on large marble base which is adorned with relief sculptures that depict highlights from Walcott's career, his world championship belt, and a portrait of Walcott as the first African American Sheriff of Camden. LeVotch is also the artist who sculpted the original Briscoe Award statuette, the Joey Giardello statue in South Philadelphia, and the Boxing Writers Association's Sugar Ray Robinson Award. LeVotch has also created original boxing works like The Spirit of Boxing. A crowd of at least 200 people gathered to see the newest public artwork unveiled on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. The unveiling ceremony was preceded by a parade and followed by a concert.
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