Frank 'Rocky' Fiegel, was born in Poland on January 27, 1868. He emigrated with his family to America where in 1887 he joined the Navy.
When Popeye's creator met him, he was a retired sailor contracted by Wiebusch’s tavern in the city of Chester, Illinois, to clean and maintain order. He had a reputation for being always involved in fighting, so he had a deformed eye (“Pop-eye”). He had demonstrated his strength in so many fights that he became a local legend. He always smoked his pipe, so he spoke only with one side of his mouth.
While in the company of children, he clutched the pipe with the edge of his mouth, recounting tales from his youth and frequently bragging about his physical prowess. He emphatically declared that spinach was the key to his invincibility.
Popeye's character creator Elzie Crisler Segar was born in Chester and was one of the children who had the privilege of hearing 'live' the stories of the former sailor.