Rocky hits the Smithsonian in Washington, DC

Sylvester Stallone has donated memorabilia, including the robe he wore in the first “Rocky” movie, to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, DC.

“I knew I was getting old, but I didn’t think I would be with the dinosaurs so soon,” Stallone said to the AP. “No, actually, I’m really unbelievably overwhelmed.”

Stallone, now 60 (!!!!!), wore the red and yellow boxing robe in 1976’s “Rocky.”

The actor, whose “Rocky 6â€? comes out on Dec. 22, also donated a black hat and a pair of autographed boxing gloves from “Rocky 2″ as well as shoes and his red, white and blue boxing shorts from “Rocky 3.”

The objects will be on display starting Dec. 21, the AP says, in the “Treasures of American History” exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum.

“You remember the Wizard of Oz? Before the Tin Man got his oil? That’s me, everyone,” he said.

Stallone also said to the AP that the “Rocky” series represents a “journey of hope, but it’s never easy.”

I’m down with this flick, and don’t have a beef with a sixty-year-old man keepin’ on keepin’ on.

The Stones and the Who are still out there, not embarrassing themselves, and I’m marching to 40 myself.

I’m not so quick to bust on older folks for persevering, and not ceding to the younger folks territory that they’ve staked out for themselves….