The Crash (August 31, 1969)

"The Crash (August 31, 1969)," track number 11 from ... UNDEFEATED: THE STORY OF ROCKY MARCIANO Rocky Marciano: The only undefeated heavyweight champion in boxing history (49-0) and his journey from working-class Brockton to boxing immortality. 01. Brockton Boy 02. Almost Wasn't 03. Suzie's Eyes 04. The Rock 05. Forty-Three to Nothing 06. Jersey Joe 07. The Brockton Blockbuster 08. Don't Lean on the Ropes 09. Ezzard's Respect 10. September '55 11. The Crash (August 31, 1969) 12. Still Undefeated ⁨‪‪@F.HarryStowe‬ Lyrics: August thirty-first, nineteen sixty-nine Day before his forty-sixth birthday, should’ve been just fine Small Cessna in the Iowa sky, storm clouds rolling in Flying home from Des Moines, never made it home again Pilot tried to land at Newton Municipal through the rain Voices on the radio, then nothing but the pain Crashed into a pasture, just before the runway lights Rocky Marciano, the undefeated, died that night The crash, the crash, August thirty-one The crash, the crash, before the setting sun The man who never fell in forty-nine straight fights Fell from the sky on that dark Iowa night The crash, the crash, how could this be? The Rock that never broke, taken tragically Suzie got the call, the call no wife should hear Barbara Cousins Marciano’s greatest fear The man who survived Walcott and Charles and Moore The man who walked away to live a little more Fourteen years of retirement, family and friends Business ventures, speaking tours, living legends Forty-five years old, just one day away From celebrating life, instead we’re here to pray The crash, the crash, August thirty-one The crash, the crash, before the setting sun The man who never fell in forty-nine straight fights Fell from the sky on that dark Iowa night The crash, the crash, how could this be? The Rock that never broke, taken tragically They say life isn’t fair, they say death comes for us all But why the man who knew when to walk away? Why the man who chose his family over the call? Why the man who had so many years to stay? He survived wars in the ring, survived the brutal trade He made it out intact when so many others fade He did it right, he did it smart, he lived the proper way But fate don’t care about your record Fate don’t care what people say Fort Lauderdale memorial, thousands came to mourn The Brockton Blockbuster, the people’s champion born Laid to rest in Florida, far from Brockton’s streets But his spirit lives in every fighter who competes Mary Anne and Rocco lost their father that dark day Suzie lost her husband, her protector, her mainstay The world lost a champion who showed us how to fight And more important, showed us when to choose what’s right The crash, the crash, August thirty-one The crash, the crash, his earthly race was run The man who never fell in forty-nine straight fights Fell from the sky on that dark Iowa night But his record stands forever, shining proud and bright The crash took the man, but never took the light August thirty-first "Rest in peace" The day before his birthday "Rest in peace" Rocky Marciano Forty-nine and zero Forever undefeated Forever Forever.