Rocky Graziano was born on New Year's Day in 1919 in Brooklyn, New York with the birth name Thomas Rocco Barbella. Growing up in the heart of New York City, Barbella had a tougher than normal childhood, learning to become a street fighter before he could even read or write. By his teenage years, he had spent time at reform schools, the New York Catholic protectory, and been in jail more than once. Barbella would go on to clean his act up and start having success in the professional boxing world under the name Rocky Graziano.

Graziano would fight in the welterweight and middleweight classes during his career and was known as one of the hardest knockout artists of his era. He would go on to finish his career with an impressive 67-10-6 record.

This lot offers the only publicly known Rocco Barbella signature, autographed on a New York City Police Department mug shot and fingerprint impression sheet. The 1938 report includes an image of Graziano facing forward as well as a side profile alongside his fingerprint impressions. His signature was penned in bold, black ink for excellent eye appeal. The, then, nineteen year old was arrested for breaking into a restaurant and stealing $63. As one can notice, this was not the first infraction on his record.

A truly rare and unique piece from Graziano's troubled childhood before he became a famous boxer. The only Rocco Barbella autograph that has ever been offered publicly before he started signing his name as Rocky Graziano