Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1950-10-07
Sadness, Mixed
Emotions Prevail
As Ezzard Charles
Beats Joe Louis
Louis My Champion
Forever Says
Nose Hendrix

NXOOO xACAlOl1A
New York, N. Y.-Sadncss and
mixed emotions prevailed here the
other night-Yankee Stadium had
seen time take its toll. The great
est Of the great champions had
fallen.
There was no question. The best
man in that ring on the night of
September q was the Georgia
born, Ezzard Charles, who had
come here via Cincinnati. None
of us would have taken away Mr..
Charles much deserved, well
earned championship.
But what we hated was to see
the coming Of the end, as it did.
Joe Louis had been a fine repre-
sentative of the fight game. Some
say he had given the profession
new life when it was in an obvious
slump. There he was in defeat.
The sadness and mixed emotions
swept across Yankee Stadium liz
an omen of some queer "believe-it-
or-not." The man who had held
with dignity the heavyweight
championship longest, and had de-
tended it most, had met his mate
in time and in youth.
Some of us may have remem-
bered. 1t was fifteen years be-
fore that the Louis fight career
had its first big notice. In 1885,
not too far from Yankee Stadium
at the Polo, Grounds, Louis had
tumbled into defeat the Big Man
from italy, Primo Camera.
Well do | remember that fight.
| was in Washington at the time.
There, for the first time in my
life, | saw the picture of a Negro
on the front page Of a big city
daily. AS best | now recall, there
was Joe Louis-three columns
wide in the morning newspaper.
Almost overnight, the Dynamo
out of Detroit became the idol of
youngsters all over the land-es-
pecially little black boys. From Y
gyms, across school grounds and
parks into backwards and alleys,
up went the little "dukes"-"Pm
Joe Louis" "No! Pm Louis . !.
You're Camera" etc.
No doubt, Ezzard Charles was
one of the boys who caught the
Il, too, can" spirit. He was then
a lad of fourteen. Here l shall
long believe that Charles stayed
the Knockout punch in the "four-
teenth" in memory of his admira-
ton for the Great Champ.
Prior to 1885, the youngster that
| was, | knew little about fighters.
/ remembered the name of Jack
Johnson, yes. There was some
vague recollection of the encoun-
ter in which Tunney out-pointed
Dempsey. Then, being of Atlanta,
| knew of Iron Man, Tiger" Flow
erS.
Max Something's 1886 black-out
of Louis did not touch me greatly.
But how well do | remember the
Schmehng-Louis bout of 1888. You
will recall, Something's end came
within 1.-TWO" of the first" l
was in attendance at an institute
at Lincoln U. of Pennsylvania.
Two dozen white students and
| listened. With the quick finish,
| found myself the center of at
traction. ! had not fought and
defeated the man from Germany.
But, was of Louis hue-so / got
the compliments and a hug that
| shall never forget.
The hug was from che
Nose" said my Jewish friend,
Pm SO happy :. =. Do you know
what this means to me? Louis
IS Negro ;. an American Ne
gro y. He has just defeated the
German champion! =. What does
that do to the Hitler theory of ra-
,ial superiority"
Some would have had it believed
that it was savage instinct that
made Louis the fighter he was
naturally attaching such to race.
But the record stands in testimony.
Louis never took undue advantage
Of an opponent.
If he had a savage instinct, he
it with the finest man
ners of the drawing room. He was
the gentleman of the ring. "Alibi'
had no meaning in his lingo, nor
did he demand exceptions. And he
never denied worthy contender.
These are just a few of the rea-
sons why say "Louis-My-
Champion-Forever."