Chas B. Wolfson, SASS #11104 Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 POPEYE the Sailor Man really existed..... His real name was Frank "Rocky" Fiegel. He was born in 1868 in Poland and, as a child, immigrated to the United States with his parents, who settled down in a small town in Illinois. As a young man, Rocky went to sea. After a 20 year career as a sailor in the Merchant Marines, Fiegel retired. He was later hired by Wiebusch's Tavern in the city of Chester, Illinois as a ‘Bouncer’ to maintain order in the rowdy bar. Rocky quickly developed a reputation for always being involved in fighting ( and usually winning). As a result, he had a deformed eye ("Pop-eye"). He also ‘always’ smoked his pipe, so he always spoke out of one side of his mouth. In his spare time as a Bouncer, Rocky would entertain the customers by regaling them with exciting stories of adventures he claimed to have had over his career as a sailor crossing the ‘Seven Seas.’ The creator of Popeye, Elzie Crisler Segar, grew up in Chester and, as a young man, met Rocky at the tavern and would sit for hours listening to the old sailor’s amazing ‘sea’ stories.’ Years later, Segar became a cartoonist and developed a comic strip called ‘Thimble Theater.’ He honored Fiegel by asking if he could model his new comic strip character, ‘Popeye the Sailor Man,’ after him. Naturally Fiegel was flattered and agreed. Segar claimed that ‘Olive Oyl,’ along with other characters, was also loosely based on an actual person. She was Dora Paskel, owner of a small grocery store in Chester. She apparently actually looked much like the Olive Oyl character in his comics. He claimed she even dressed much the same way.. Through the years, Segar kept in touch with Rocky and always helped him with money; giving him a small percentage of what he earned from his ‘Popeye’ illustrations. WHO didn't love the cartoons??? We watched them religiously... so funny, so moral... each story had a good ending... wonder if kids these days even KNOW who Popeye is??? who knew he was a real man?? awesome!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeaconKC Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 There is a statue of Popeye in Chester Illinois. It is still quite a popular place for those who are angry with each other to go there to settle things "man to man". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 Interesting story. I Googled and found more. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/frank-rocky-fiegel-popeye/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 No offense, Allie, but I do not put any real stock in anything “Snopes”, a husband and wife team, say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackwater 53393 Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 Our own Badger Mountain Charlie is from Chester, Illinois!! The first time that I shot a match at the Sparta range, my traveling companions and I stayed in Chester. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 Actually, the Snopes article is quite interesting, and supports the claim with a lot of detail; just not the photo. My own experience is that Snopes has always done a pretty good job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Widder, SASS #59054 Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 I can believe the story, but the picture doesn't seem to show a deformed eye. Enjoyed reading the story. ..........Widder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 2 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: No offense, Allie, but I do not put any real stock in anything “Snopes”, a husband and wife team, say. I don't trust them as a fact checker. However, they added to the original story and I found it interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perro Del Diablo Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 Now we know how @Patriotgot inspired to be a swabby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Widder, SASS #59054 Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 21 minutes ago, Perro Del Diablo said: Now we know how @Patriotgot inspired to be a swabby What better way to be a PatRiot? ..........Widder (USN RM4) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 Did Rocky like spinach? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted July 18, 2021 Share Posted July 18, 2021 4 hours ago, Perro Del Diablo said: Now we know how @Patriotgot inspired to be a swabby 3 hours ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said: What better way to be a PatRiot? ..........Widder (USN RM4) Actually as a little tyke my Mom said I loved Popeye cartoons. She would prop me up on the couch and turn on Popeye and I would watch while she did things around the house. Some of my first memories were of Popeye cartoons. And I did love my spinach. Pat Riot, GMM2 USS Virginia CGN-38 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeaconKC Posted July 18, 2021 Share Posted July 18, 2021 Hey @Pat Riot, SASS #13748 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted July 18, 2021 Share Posted July 18, 2021 43 minutes ago, DeaconKC said: Hey @Pat Riot, SASS #13748 November Victor Yankee Alpha? NAVY I think they posted out of order…or maybe on my phone… By the way, I had to look them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeaconKC Posted July 18, 2021 Share Posted July 18, 2021 Just now, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: November Victor Yankee Alpha? NAVY I think they posted out of order…or maybe on my phone… By the way, I had to look them up. Wikipedia listed that as the flags for the Virginia. Teach me to listen to Wiki! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted July 18, 2021 Share Posted July 18, 2021 8 minutes ago, DeaconKC said: Wikipedia listed that as the flags for the Virginia. Teach me to listen to Wiki! Thank you anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Widder, SASS #59054 Posted July 18, 2021 Share Posted July 18, 2021 'A' school, Norfolk NavComSta, Morocco USS Simon Lake USS Hunley NavAirSta, Norfolk ..........Widder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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