City Streets: Thomas "Hitman" Hearns
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Thomas Hearns, representing Kronk Gym on his trunks, fights Marvin Hagler in Las Vegas in April 1985. Photo: Manny Millan /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images
Dozens of streets spanning the city have been given secondary names to honor the contributions of notable Detroiters.
Between the lines: Today's look at boxer Thomas "Hitman" Hearns' street sign is the first installment of our series highlighting select secondary signs in Detroit.
- We'll visit their locations and share the histories behind them.
Catch up quick: Hearns was born in Tennessee and moved to Detroit when he was 5. He trained at the city's famed Kronk Gym and won titles in five weight classes. He was named Ring Magazine's Fighter of the Year in 1980 and 1984.
- His 1985 bout against Marvin Hagler is regarded as one of the sport's greatest matches ever.
State of play: Hearns' sign at McGraw and Junction avenues, at the Kronk Gym's former site, was dedicated in 2017.
Yes, but: The sign, which can be seen in old news footage of the ceremony, was no longer standing when we visited Tuesday.
- The sign's petitioner has not paid the $400 fee to replace the sign since it fell down in 2019, per the city's Historic Designation Advisory Board.
What's next: This month, a new Kronk Gym ownership group announced that the gym, which was demolished in 2018, would return to the city at an undisclosed location, the Detroit News reported.