City Honors Late Joe Frazier With 73rd Birthday Celebration
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The late Philadelphia boxing legend, Joe Frazier, was honored Wednesday night for his 73rd birthday.
Family, friends and supporters of Frazier held a celebration for the former world champion at City Hall by honoring championship youth football teams, boxing coaches and boxing judges.
"We get together every year and we host an event just to make sure Philadelphia never forgets Smokin' Joe Frazier, our home town hero," said Pete Lyde, Sr., Frazier's son-in-law. "He could have went anywhere in the world to live, but he chose Philadelphia and he stayed here."
Lyde helped organize the event and says Smokin' Joe was all about helping the community and the kids, so this is the perfect way to remember him.
"It makes us happy, it makes us proud that we have somebody that we can continue to celebrate his life and his legacy," Lyde said.
Boxing champions and local leaders were all on hand to honor the late champ.