Mike Vitez Continues All-Important ‘Rocky’ Statue Beat

Michael Vitez, Sunday, Sept. 3, Inquirer, “Its home is where the art is“:

Yes, move the Rocky statue to the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art - to the bottom of the steps - but not because it is or isn’t art.

Move the statue because the closer it is to the “Rocky Steps,” the more it will resonate with the thousands who come to run them. The statue is symbolic for so many, but the steps themselves are the source of inspiration, the place where people bring to life the message of the movie.

Inquirer photographer Tom Gralish and I spent a year at the steps for our new book, Rocky Stories: Tales of Love, Hope and Happiness at America’s Most Famous Steps. We interviewed and photographed people who came from all over the world, every day, to run them. The original Rocky movie is 30 years old now, yet the people still come. The movie, the character of Rocky, and actor Sylvester Stallone may draw people to the steps, but when they run, the people are celebrating their own lives, dreams, accomplishments and friendships. As one Rocky runner, a welder from British Columbia, told me, running the steps “gives you the feeling that anything is possible.”

This may sound corny, but it’s true.

Michael Vitez, Wed., Sept. 6, press release, “Author Endorses Rocky Statue at Foot of Philadelphia Art Museum Steps“:

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 6 /U.S. Newswire/ — The Pulitzer Prize winning author of “Rocky Stories”, the upcoming collection of inspirational stories about individuals running the famous Rocky steps, has officially endorsed the Philadelphia Art Commission’s decision today to place the 12-foot-high Rocky statue at the foot of the Philadelphia Art Museum steps.

Michael Vitez, said, “I hope that the statue does what it is intended to do: complement the experience of people who come to run and celebrate their own achievements and dreams, inspired by the original movie. I think the location the city has chosen should allow it to serve that function perfectly. Time will tell.”

Michael Vitez, Wed., Sept. 6, Inquirer, “Will Rocky win the decision?“:

The champagne hasn’t been poured yet - but the concrete has - in anticipation of approval today by the city’s Art Commission to relocate the Rocky statue near the bottom of the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

City crews last week poured a cement foundation on the lawn, just north of the steps, where the 2,000-pound, 8-foot statue of Rocky Balboa will be placed if the vote is in favor.

Michael Vitez, Sept. 6, Inquirer, “Rocky wins split decision to stand near Art Museum“:

By a split decision, the Rocky statue was won the right to stand below the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

By a 6-2 vote, the city’s Art Commission voted in favor of relocating the 2,000-pound, 8-foot statue of Rocky Balboa onto a cement foundation on the lawn, just north of the Art Museum steps.

Michael Vitez, Sept. 7, Inquirer, “Rocky statue ready to hit the steps“:

Apollo Creed couldn’t keep Rocky down. Nor could Mr. T’s menacing Clubber Lang. Not even the steroid-juiced Russian giant Ivan Drago could knock out Rocky Balboa.

In that spirit, the 8-foot bronze statue of the fictional film character won another fight yesterday - over its own meaning and worth - when the city’s Art Commission voted 6-2 to move the statue to a patch of lawn near the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Michael Vitez, Sept. 8, Inquirer, “At age 8, she led the way for Rocky’s Phila. return“:

In 1981, as an 8-year-old living in Philadelphia’s Lawncrest neighborhood, Nikol [Bird] went door to door, gathering signatures to keep the 8-foot, 6-inch, 2,000-pound bronze statue of Rocky Balboa forever at the top of the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The city had refused to keep the prop for Rocky III in front of the world-class museum, and Stallone shipped the statue back to Los Angeles.

But little Nikol, who loved Rocky, and cabdriver Art Gorman - first working independently, then teaming up - mounted a campaign to bring the statue back.

She set up a table outside Veterans Stadium the night Pete Rose passed Stan Musial on the list of all-time hits leader, and gathered 2,000 signatures. In all, she collected more than 10,000 and presented them to City Council.

Hmm.