SR0730 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0730 LRB098 14484 MST 49208 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of former WBC Heavyweight Boxing Champion Kenneth Howard Norton, Sr., who passed away on September 18, 2013; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Norton, Sr. was born on August 9, 1943 to John and Ruth Norton and was raised in Jacksonville; he graduated from Jacksonville High School, where he was an outstanding athlete and earned several scholarships at Northeast Missouri State (now Truman State University) in football, basketball, and track; he studied elementary education while at college; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Norton, Sr. joined the United States Marine Corps during his sophomore year in college; while a Marine, he started boxing and compiled an amateur record of 24 and 2 and won the All-Marine Heavyweight Championship 3 times; he won the United States trials for the 1967 Pan American Games and began his pro career after his discharge from the Marines in 1967; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Norton, Sr. was nicknamed the "Black Hercules" until defeating Muhammad Ali and cracking his jaw in their 1973 bout, from which point he was known as "Jawbreaker"; he finished with a professional record of 42-7-1, with 33 knockouts; he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992 and is ranked 22nd among the 50th greatest heavyweights of all time; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Norton, Sr., following his boxing career, appeared in various films and television series; he also worked as a television and radio sports commentator and was a member of the Sports Illustrated Speakers Bureau; he felt his greatest achievement was twice being named Father of the Year in 1977 by the Los Angeles Sentinel and the Los Angles Times; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Norton, Sr. was preceded in death by his parents; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Norton, Sr. is survived by his wife, Rose Contant-Norton; his children, Keith, Kenneth Jr. (Angela), Brandon, Kenisha, and Kene Jon; his grandchildren, Brittney, Sabrina, Kenneth III, Michael, Kameron, Nicholas, Kayliana, Havana, and Kene Jon II; his step-children, Fabian and Chelsea; his sister, Sandy Verlinden; his former wives, Jeanette Henderson and Jacqueline Norton; his uncle, Abe Brown; and a host of loving family and friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Kenneth Howard Norton, Sr., and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Kenneth Norton, Sr. as an expression of our deepest sympathy.