ESPN.com: 'Brown Bomber' was a hero to all 'Brown Bomber' was a hero to all By Larry Schwartz Special to ESPN.com The son of an Alabama sharecropper, great grandson of a slave, great great grandson of a white slave owner became the first African-American to achieve lasting fame and popularity in the 20th century. Joe Louis, in the far right corner, floored Max Schmeling three times and won their much-publicized June 22, 1938 rematch at Yankee Stadium in a first-round knockout. In a time when his people were still subject to lynchings, discrimination and oppression, when the military was segregated and African-Americans weren't permitted to play Major League Baseball, Joe Louis was the first African-American to achieve hero worship that was previously reserved for whites only. When he started boxing in the 1930s, there were no African-Americans in positions of public prominence, none who commanded attention from whites. "What my father did was enable white America to think of him as an American, not as a black," said his son, Joe Louis Jr.

"By winning, he became white America's first black hero." Louis was heavyweight champion of the world in an era when the heavyweight champion was, in the minds of many, the greatest man in the world. Jack Johnson, the first African-American heavyweight champ, wasn't popular with whites. Louis, on the other hand, converted all into his corner. When "The Brown Bomber" avenged his loss to Germany's Max Schmeling -- viewed as a Nazi symbol -- the entire country celebrated, not just African-Americans. Louis' war-time patriotism in a racially divided country made him a symbol of national unity and purpose. Twice he donated his purse to military relief funds. He endeared himself even more to the American public when he said the U.S. would win World War II "because we're on God's side." While some accused Louis of being an Uncle Tom, others realized it wasn't in his training or character to be militant. His uncommon sense of dignity, exemplified by his refusal to be pictured with a slice of watermelon, increased his popularity.

When some called Louis "a credit to his race," sportswriter Jimmy Cannon responded, "Yes, Louis is a credit to his race -- the human race." He also was a credit to boxing, which often contributes to the worst in the human race. His championship reign, from 1937 until he retired in 1949, is the longest of any heavyweight. With his powerful left jab, his destructive two-fisted attack that he released with accuracy at short range, and his capacity for finishing a wounded opponent, the 6-foot-1½ fighter defeated all 25 of his challengers, another record. Louis also was a winner with women. Though married four times, including twice to his first wife, he discreetly enjoyed the company of both African-American and white women, including Lena Horne, Sonja Henie and Lana Turner. ZONE POLL He was born Joseph Louis Barrow on May 13, 1914, in a shack in the cotton-field country near Lafayette, Ala. Besides being African-American, he also was part Indian and part white. His father was committed to a state hospital for the mentally ill before he was 2.

After Louis' mother heard her husband had died (he hadn't, though), she remarried. The children slept three to a bed in Alabama before the family moved to Detroit in the 1920s. Joe was learning cabinet-making in a vocational school and taking violin lessons when he turned to boxing at the request of a schoolmate. Fighting under the name Joe Louis, so his mother wouldn't find out, he won 50 of 54 amateur bouts and gained the attention of John Roxborough, king of the numbers rackets in Detroit's African-American neighborhoods. Roxborough and Julian Black, a speakeasy owner who also ran numbers, convinced Louis to turn pro in 1934, and they became his managers. To shape the fighter's image, Roxborough publicized seven commandments, which would be inoffensive to white Americans. They included: Never be photographed with a white woman, never gloat over a fallen (read white) opponent, never engage in fixed fights, and live and fight clean.

Louis won his first 27 fights, 23 by knockout, with his most impressive victories being a sixth-round TKO of Primo Carnera and a fourth-round KO of Max Baer, both former heavyweight champions. His undefeated streak ended on June 19, 1936 when Schmeling detected a chink in Louis' armor: Because Louis carried his left hand low, he was vulnerable to a counter right. In the fourth round, Schmeling's overhand right dropped Louis, who never recovered, though he lasted until the 12th before two rights by Schmeling ended the fight. In the dressing room, Louis cried. His road to the title had merely taken a detour. On June 22, 1937, he became the first African-American champ since Johnson when he dethroned James Braddock, knocking out "The Cinderella Man" in the eighth round. "For one night, in all the darktowns of America, the black man was king," wrote Alistair Cooke. Louis became a symbol of African-American power in a time when they felt powerless.

"Every Negro boy old enough to walk wanted to be the next Brown Bomber," said Malcolm X, then the leader of the militant Black Muslims. Exactly one year later, Louis exacted his revenge on Schmeling. The fight was for more than the heavyweight championship, more than two individuals competing. It was built into a battle of two ideologies. In one corner was Schmeling, representing Hitler (though Schmeling wasn't a Nazi) and everything fascism stood for. In the other corner was Louis, representing the U.S. and everything democracy meant. Louis was invited to the White House, where President Franklin Roosevelt felt the champ's biceps. "Joe, we need muscles like yours to beat Germany," he said. There were reports of messages to Schmeling from Hitler warning him that he had better win for the glory of the Third Reich. Hitler hailed him as a paragon of Teutonic manhood and telephoned him personally before he left the dressing room. Schmeling wasn't gone from the room long. Before some 70,000 fans at Yankee Stadium, Louis pulverized the reluctant Aryan figurehead, knocking him to the canvas three times.

Two years of waiting ended for Louis after 124 seconds, with Schmeling lying broken on the canvas. Louis had crossed the line from champion to idol as Americans of all color and ancestry celebrated. He went through a "Bum of the Month" club until he met former light-heavyweight champ Billy Conn on June 18, 1941. It appeared as if Louis was about to lose his title after 12 rounds, as he trailed by three and two rounds on two officials' scorecards. But Conn ignored his corner's instruction to box with caution, and the result was Louis knocking him out with two seconds left in the 13th round. Louis enlisted in the Army in 1942 and fought close to 100 exhibitions before some two million servicemen. After the war, he knocked out Conn again ("He can run, but he can't hide") and won three other fights, including two with Jersey Joe Walcott, before abdicating his title. However, because he needed money to pay back taxes, he returned.

After not fighting for two years, he lost a one-sided decision to his successor as champ, Ezzard Charles, in 1950 and retired for good when Rocky Marciano knocked him out in the eighth round in 1951. Louis' fights earned him close to $5 million, but the money went like three-minute rounds, mostly due to his extravagances and generosity. The IRS, conveniently forgetting Louis' generosity during the war, demanded a reported $1.2 million in back taxes, interest and penalties, and he suffered the humiliation of competing as a pro wrestler to help pay his debts. Following several stays in hospitals for cocaine addiction and paranoia, he became an "official greeter" at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Louis spent his last four years in a wheelchair before dying of a heart attack at 66 on April 12, 1981 in Las Vegas. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery at the request of President Ronald Reagan. In death, like in life, he was a hero. Famous Boxers - The Greatest Boxers of All Time Famous Boxers Muhammad Ali (1942) Famous For: Being widely considered one of the greatest boxers of all time.

The Greatest, “The People’s Champion,” these are nicknames given to one of the most famous athletes in the world, Muhammad Ali. He has born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. before he converted to Islam in 1964. Before turning professional, Ali won a gold medal at the Olympics in Rome in 1960 as a light heavyweight. As a professional heavyweight, we won fifty-six, 37 by knockout. Some of his fights have been given titles, most famous include, “Rumble in the Jungle,” in Kinshasa, Zaire against George Foreman and “The Thrilla in Manila,” in Manila, Philippines against Joe Frazier. Ali was a multiple heavyweight champion during his career as a boxer. Manny Pacquiao (1978) Famous For: World champion in eight weight divisions Eight division world champion, the first to ever accomplish the feat, Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao was named “Fighter of the Decade” in 2009. A southpaw, Pacquiao’s record is an impressive 54-5 with 2 draws.

This is one fighter who has received more than his share of nicknames that include: Pac Man, The Nation’s Fist, Destroyer, Mexicutioner and the list goes on. Mike Tyson (1966) Famous For: Unified the heavyweight titles under the WBA, WBC, & IBF At twenty years old, Mike Tyson became the undisputed heavyweight champion, unifying the WBA (World Boxing Association), WBC (World Boxing Council), and the IBF (International Boxing Federation) heavyweight titles. “The Baddest Man on the Planet”, as Tyson was known, won 44 of his fifty fights by knockout. He is also known as Iron Mike and Kid Dynamite for his hard hitting punches. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (1977) Famous For: Undefeated record Rated as the best pound for pound fighter today, Floyd Mayweather Jr. remains undefeated. He is a world champion in five divisions beginning with the Super Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Light Welterweight, and Light Middleweight, divisions. As an amateur, he had an 84-6 record, as a professional, he is 45-0.

He has two nicknames to date, “Money” & “Pretty Boy.” Jack Johnson (1878-1946) Famous For: Galveston Giant The “Galveston Giant” or John Arthur Johnson became the first Black American world boxing heavyweight (179 lbs not more than 201) champion. His reign as champion lasted for seven years. He had a total of 114 fights, he won eighty fights, forty-five by knockouts; twelve draws, fourteen no-contest, and 13 losses. Johnson was an “orthodox” style of boxer. George Foreman (1949) Famous For: Rumble in the Jungle Two time World Heavyweight Champion George Foreman was one of the most famous boxers of his time that go with his epic battles against the likes of Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, and Muhammad Ali. In 1968, he won the gold medal at summer Olympics in Mexico City. In his storied boxing career, Foreman compiled seventy-six wins. He was the oldest, at age 45, Heavyweight champion to win the title.

His nicknames include, “The Heywood Giant, Big George, and the Punching Preacher.” Roy Jones Jr. (1969) Famous For: 1990s Fighter of the Decade After starting as a boxer in the light middleweight division, Roy Jones Jr. eventually found himself winning the heavyweight title. During the 1990s, Jones received the recognition for being the “Fighter of the Decade.” He garnered a total of 56 wins during his professional career, receiving the title Champion as a Middleweight, Super Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, and Heavyweight. He was known as “RJ, Captain Hook, Superman, and Junior.” Rocky Marciano (1923-1969) Famous For: Undefeated Heavyweight boxer Untied and undefeated in his professional boxing career, former World Heavyweight champion Rocky (Rocco Francis Marchegiano) Marciano, is the only boxer to hold this distinction. He had forty-nine fights, lost none, won 43 by knockout.

Born in Brockton, Massachusetts, he has been given the alias “Rock from Brockton” and “Brockton Blockbuster.” Julio César Chávez, Jr. (1986) Famous For: WBC Middleweight champion in 2011 Following in the footsteps of his father, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has a record of 47 wins and 1 loss. He won the WBC middleweight title in 2011. He has been rated to fight in two weight classes, Middleweight and Light Heavyweight. Joe Frazier (1944-2011) Famous For: Thrilla in Manila Joseph William “Smokin Joe” Frazier was proclaimed the “undisputed World Heavyweight Champion” in boxing in 1970. In the 1964 Tokyo summer Olympics, Frazier won the gold medal in the heavyweight division. As a professional, Smokin Joe had 32 wins and 4 losses, twice each to Ali and Foreman. Evander Holyfield (1962) Famous For: Holyfield vs.

Tyson, the Bite With a nickname “The Real Deal”, Evander Holyfield proved that he was just that, the real deal as a boxer. Of his 44 wins, he won 29 by knockout. Some of those wins were at the expense of the likes of Foreman, Holmes, and Mike Tyson, to name a few. Another nickname given to Holyfield was “The Warrior.” Julio César Chávez (1962) Famous For: The Great Mexican Champion Considered as Mexico’s greatest fighter, Julio Cesar Chavez is remembered for his punching power, relentless attack against his opponents, and his ability to take the punches. As a Chavez had 107 wins to go with being crowned six times as world champion in the Super Featherweight, Lightweight, and Light Welterweight divisions. Lennox Lewis (1965) Famous For: Undisputed Champion in 2000 British/Canadian Heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis is viewed by many as one of the greatest fighters of all time. He received a gold medal during the 1988 Seoul summer Olympics. He turned professional in 1989 in which he won forty-one times.

At six feet five inches, he had a reach of 84 inches. He has been given the nickname “The Lion” and “Lenny”, though he viewed himself as “the pugilist specialist.” Victor Ortiz (1987) Famous For: WBC Welterweight champion in 2011 Another southpaw, Victor Ortiz’s fighting record is 29 wins, 4 losses, and 3 draws. In 2011, he won the WBC welterweight title against Andre Berto. He us rated eligible to fight in the welterweight, light welterweight, and light middleweight divisions. Sugar Ray Leonard (1956) Famous For: The Super Fight vs. Hagler In the 1980s, Sugar Ray Leonard received the recognition for being the “Boxer of the Decade”. Although he only figured in 40 fights, he won 36 of them, the men he fought against were equally legendary. Representing the USA at the summer Olympics in 1976, we won gold in the light welterweight division. He fought in five divisions, moving up from Welterweight to Light Heavyweight.

His battles against fellow Hall of Famers were epic, these include the likes of Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Wilfred Benitez, and Marvin Hagler. Timothy Bradley (1983) Famous For: World champion in welterweight division Current WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley is just getting started in his boxing career. To date, he has won 31 fights with no losses. He won the welterweight title against then champion Manny Pacquiao. Jack Dempsey (1895-1983) Famous For: Boxing World Heavyweight Champion 1919-1926 Jack Dempsey held boxing’s World Heavyweight Championship belt for seven years, from 1919 to 1926. Because of his aggressive power, Dempsey was one of the most popular boxers in his time. Of the 83 fights he fought in, Dempsey won 65, winning 51 of those by knock-out. He only lost six of the 83.

His nicknames include “Manassa Mauler” and “Kid Blackie.” Joe Louis (1914-1981) Famous For: Brown Bomber & Boxing World Heavyweight Champion 1937-1949 As boxing’s World Heavyweight champion for twelve years, of the 70 fights Joe Louis fought, he only experienced three losses, winning 66. Of that victories, he won 52 by knockout. He is viewed as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He had reach of 76″. He was nicknamed the Brown Bomber. Sugar Ray Robinson (1921-1989) Famous For: best pound for pound boxer The title of the “greatest boxer” of all time may be given to Sugar Ray Robinson, as an amateur, he had a record of 85-0, 69 won by knockout, forty of those in the first round. Robinson had an “orthodox” style as a boxer. He fought in the welterweight (140 pounds not more than 147) and middleweight (152 pounds not more than 165) divisions of boxing.

Sonny Liston (unknown-1970) Famous For: 1964 rematch against Muhammad Ali One of the most controversial boxers of his time, Sonny Liston had a record of 50 wins and four losses. He was in the heavyweight division and in 1962 was crowned the World Heavyweight Champion. His most memorable fights were those against Floyd Patterson and Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali), whom he each fought two times. Rubin Carter (1937) Famous For: his nickname, the Hurricane The Hurricane, this was the nickname given to middleweight boxer Rubin Carter. He was not tall for a middleweight fighter, but he did have a total of forty fights in which he won 27 of those, 19 by knockout. Jake Lamotta (1921) Famous For: Raging Bull LaMotta has been given the nickname of “Raging Bull” and “Bronx Bull” for his bully style of fighting in the ring. As a middleweight and light heavyweight boxer, Jake fought a total of 106 times, winning 93 of those.

His storied rivalry against Sugar Ray Robinson, they fought six times, the last had been labeled as boxings version of the “Valentine’s Day Massacre” in which LaMotta was out-boxed, out punched by Robinson, but never knocked down. Roberto Durán (1951) Famous For: “No Mas, No Mas” One of the best fighters to step into the wrong was Panamanian Roberto Duran, the man who had been given the nickname “Manos de Piedra or Hands of Stone.” He fought in five different weight classes, Lightweight, Welterweight, Light and Super Middleweight, and Middleweight. He won 103 times and 70 of those by knockout. Shane Mosley (1971) Famous For: Sugar Shane Mosley As a professional boxer, Shane Mosley has a record of 47 wins and 8 losses. 39 of those wins came via knockout. He held world titles as a Lightweight, Welterweight, and Light Middleweight. As an amateur, Mosley’s official record was 230 wins and twelve losses.

Oscar De La Hoya (1973) Famous For: Golden Boy Golden Boy Oscar dela Hoya has won ten world boxing titles in different weight classes beginning in the Super featherweight all the way up to Middleweight, six in all. He won a gold medal at the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain in the lightweight division. His professional boxing record is a respectable 39-6. Larry Holmes (1949) Famous For: Easton Assassin The Easton Assassin, this was how former WBC Heavyweight champion was known. He grew up in the city of Easton in Pennsylvania. He reigned as boxing champion from 1978 through 1983. His record as a professional boxer was 69-6. Boxer called "the Brown Bomber" - crossword puzzle clue Help Clue: Boxer called "the Brown Bomber" Boxer called "the Brown Bomber" is a crossword puzzle clue that we have spotted 1 time. There are related clues (shown below).

Referring crossword puzzle answers American boxer known as the Brown Bomber | Crossword Puzzle Clue | CrosswordGiant.com American boxer known as the Brown Bomber American boxer known as the Brown Bomber Clue: American boxer known as the Brown Bomber We have 1 possible answer for the clue American boxer known as the Brown Bomber which appears 1 time in our database. JOE "Brown Bomber" LOUIS ☆☆☆ Highlights & Knockouts - YouTube JOE "Brown Bomber" LOUIS ☆☆☆ Highlights & Knockouts Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Jul 29, 2016 Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981), best known as Joe Louis, was an American professional boxer. He held the world heavyweight championship from 1937 to 1949, and is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.

Nicknamed the "Brown Bomber". Louis' championship reign lasted 140 consecutive months, during which he participated in 26 championship fights; a 27th fight, against Ezzard Charles, was a challenge to Charles' heavyweight title and so is not included in Louis' reign. Louis was victorious in 25 title defenses, a world record second only to Julio César Chávez with 27. In 2005, Louis was ranked as the #1 heavyweight of all-time by the International Boxing Research Organization, and was ranked #1 on The Ring magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Punchers of All-Time. Louis' cultural impact was felt well outside the ring. He is widely regarded as the first African American to achieve the status of a nationwide hero within the United States, and was also a focal point of anti-Nazi sentiment leading up to and during World War II. He was instrumental in integrating the game of golf, breaking the sport's color barrier in America by appearing under a sponsor's exemption in a PGA event in 1952.

Detroit's Joe Louis Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League, and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County's Joe Louis "The Champ" Golf Course, situated south of Chicago in Riverdale, Illinois, are named in his honor. ======================================================= Joe Louis, 66, Heavyweight King Who Reigned 12 Years, Is Dead Joe Louis, 66, Heavyweight King Who Reigned 12 Years, Is Dead By DEANE McGOWEN Joe Louis, who held the heavyweight boxing championship of the world for almost 12 years and the affection of the American public for most of his adult life, died yesterday of cardiac arrest in Las Vegas, Nev. He was 66 years old. Mr. Louis, who was champion from 1937 until 1949, collapsed in the bathroom of his home at approximately 9:30 A.M. (P.S.T.). Efforts by Noel Larimer, his personal therapist, and by paramedics to revive Mr. Louis were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at Desert Springs Hospital at 10:05 A.M. His wife, Martha, was with him at the hospital.

Defended Title 25 Times Slow of foot but redeemingly fast of hands, Joe Louis dominated heavyweight boxing from 1937 to 1948. As world champion he defended his title 25 times, facing all challengers and fighting the best that the countries of the world could offer. In the opinion of many boxing experts, the plain, simple, unobtrusive Brown Bomber - as he was known - with his crushing left jab and hook, was probably the best heavyweight fighter of all time. The 6-foot-1 1/2-inch, 197-pound Louis won his title June 22, 1937, in Chicago, by knocking out James J. Braddock in eight rounds, thus becoming the first black heavyweight champion since Jack Johnson, who had reigned earlier in the century. Before Louis retired undefeated as champion on March 1, 1949, his last title defense had been against Jersey Joe Walcott. Louis knocked him out on June 25, 1948, in New York. As the titleholder, his fights had grossed more than $4.6 million, of which he received about $800,000.

A fighter who wasted little time in dispatching his opponents, Louis's earnings per round were extraordinarily high. Of the 25 title defenses, only three went the full 15 rounds. Tony Galento, for example, survived four rounds in 1939, and Buddy Baer managed one round in 1942. Excluding exhibitions, Louis won 68 professional fights and lost only three. He scored 54 knockouts, including five in the first round. After retiring, he continued to appear in exhibitions and in 1950 he decided to make a comeback, but was beaten by Ezzard Charles in 15 rounds. His final professional bout took place on Oct. 26, 1951, when he lost to Rocky Marciano in New York. His final competition, an exhibition, took place Dec. 16, 1951, in Taipei against Cpl. Buford J. DeCordova. Schmeling Blitzed The most spectacular victim of Louis's robust punches was Max Schmeling, the German fighter who was personally hailed by Adolf Hitler as a paragon of Teutonic manhood.

Schmeling, who had knocked out Louis in 12 rounds in 1936, was given a return bout on June 22, 1938, in Yankee Stadium. He was knocked out in 2 minutes 4 seconds of the first round. Describing the bout in The New York Times, John Kieran wrote: ''Well, of all things! It's on and it's over. Just as Joe promised. He stepped in and started a lightning attack. Lefts and rights - Bang! Bang! Bang! Schmeling reeled into the ropes on the first-base side of the ring and clung like a shipwrecked soldier to a lifeline. ''Swaying on the ropes, Max peered out in a bewildered manner. He pushed himself off and Louis struck like dark lightning again. A ripping left and a smashing right. The right was the crusher. Schmeling went down. He was up again and then, under another fusillade, down again. Once more, and barely able to stand, and then down for the third and final time.'' Not all of Louis's fights were so savage.

Many of his adversaries entered the ring already quaking and his task of finishing them off was thus a matter of a half dozen solid punches at the proper moment. A Considerate Man There was no Joe Louis behind any facade. He was the same slowspoken, considerate person in a close social group as he was to the vast crowds that surged in on him to clutch his every word when he was at the apogee of the boxing world. A simple dignity was characteristic of Louis, who never pretended that his sharecropper origins in Alabama were more than humble. Louis was born Joseph Louis Barrow on May 13, 1914, in the cottonfield country near Lafayette, Ala., the eighth child of Munn and Lilly Barrow. His boyhood was one of want and little schooling. In his teens, he did odd jobs to help his family until the they moved to Detroit. He worked as a laborer there in the River Rouge plant of the Ford Company. Studied Cabinet-Making The future champion attended Bronson Vocational School for a time to learn cabinet-making, before turning to amateur boxing at the request of a schoolmate.

He made his boxing debut in an amateur tournament in Detroit, where he was then making his home, as a lightheavyweight. He lost the decision, getting knocked down three times by Johnny Miler in a three-rounder. However, he persevered and, in 1934, won the national Amateur Athletic Union light-heavyweight title. That ended his career as an amateur. His record included 43 knockout victories in 54 bouts. On July 4, 1934, Louis appeared as a professional fighter for the first time and knocked out Jack Kracken in one round in Chicago. Much of Louis's success was due to the capable manner in which he was handled as a professional. His amateur record brought him to the attention of Julian Black and John Roxborough, who engaged the late Jack Blackburn, one of the ring's great competitors, to polish the rough spots in the young fighter's style and to get the maximum results out of his tremendous strength and punching power. Louis had 11 more fights in 1934 and 14 in 1935. By then his prowess had attracted the attention of Mike Jacobs in New York. Mr.

Jacobs was competing against Madison Square Garden for the right to promote boxing. He went to Detroit to see Louis fight Natie Brown in March 1935. After outpointing Brown, Louis soon joined the New York promoter. First New York Fight On June 25, 1935, Louis appeared for the first time before New York fans and was an immediate success, knocking out Primo Carnera in six rounds. He was so impressive that fans clamored for a match between him and Max Baer. Baer had lost the heavyweight championship to Braddock only two weeks before Louis stopped Carnera. Louis and Baer met on Sept. 24 of that year, and the young fighter, already recognized as a punching machine, pounded Baer into helplessness in four rounds. Altogether Louis had 14 bouts in 1935 and earned a total of $368,037, an almost incredible sum then for a fighter in his second year as a professional. On June 19, 1936, Louis had his first meeting with Schmeling in New York and suffered his first professional defeat, a 12th-round knockout.

Schmeling told reporters before the bout that he had seen faults in Louis's style. After the bout, Schmeling disclosed that Louis had a habit of lowering his left shoulder and arm, leaving his chin open for a right-hand counter punch. Floored in Fourth Round Schmeling floored Louis with that weapon in the fourth round, and finally knocked him out with more of the right-hand blows in the 12th. Schmeling was promised a title bout against Braddock after he stopped Louis, but Mr. Jacobs wanted Louis to get the chance. After stalling Schmeling, Braddock agreed to meet Louis. They fought in Chicago and Louis knocked out Braddock in the eighth round to win the heavyweight title. In 1938 the new champion had only three bouts, but one of those was his second against Schmeling. Germany was then expounding its superman propaganda to the world, and Hitler had made it known that Schmeling was one of those supermen. Schmeling made the mistake of believing Hitler and made some disparaging remarks about Americans in general and blacks in particular.

Champion in a Rage When Louis and the challenger met on June 22, 1938, in New York, the champion was in a rage. Louis cut his opponent down with terrific head and body punches. Schmeling went to a local hospital to recuperate before he returned to Germany. The 2-minute-4-second time span was a record for turning back a challenger in a heavyweight title bout. The bout was the first million-dollar gate Louis attracted during his career. After that Louis had things pretty much his own way in the ring. Tony Galento had him on the canvas briefly in 1939, Arturo Godoy's crouching nose-to-the-floor tactics puzzled Louis the full 15 rounds in 1940, and Buddy Baer, brother of Max, knocked Louis out of the ring for a nine-count in 1941 before losing. That last event came during Louis's so-called ''bum-of-the-month campaign.'' During it, beginning in December 1940, he met challengers at the rate of one a month, a performance that no other heavyweight champion ever attempted.

Louis came close to losing his crown in the first fight with Billy Conn of Pittsburgh on June 18, 1941, at the Polo Grounds. Conn, the light-heavyweight king, relinquished his title to meet Louis. A Lesson in Boxing Before that fight many boxing writers had said that Conn would be too speedy and would outbox Louis. The champion had the perfect answer when he said, ''He can run but he can't hide.'' For 12 rounds Louis received a lesson in boxing from the stylish challenger. However, in the 13th, Conn dropped his successful tactics and attempted to slug it out with Louis. The move cost him the championship. Louis knocked him out with two seconds left in the round. Three months later Louis stopped Lou Nova, and in January 1942, he defeated Buddy Baer again, in 2:56 of the first round. That bout in Madison Square Garden was for the Navy Relief Society, which received $47,000. Two months later Louis knocked out Abe Simon in the sixth round of a fight in New York. The Army Relief society gained by $36,146. Louis then went into the Army as a private.

Traveled Widely in Army As a soldier, Louis traveled more than 21,000 miles and staged 96 boxing exhibitions before two million soldiers. Louis came out of the Army on Oct. 1, 1945, and shortly after signed to defend his title against Conn. The bout was the second million-dollar gate Louis drew and earned him the largest purse of his career, $625,916.44. The champion stopped Conn in the eighth round at Yankee Stadium on June 19, 1946. The champion defended his title three more times after the Conn fight, knocking out Tami Mauriello and Jersey Joe Walcott twice. After the second Walcott bout on June 25, 1948, Louis retired - officially on March 1, 1949. He later tried a comeback but failed to regain his championship form. Ezzard Charles outpointed him in 15 rounds at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 27, 1950. A year later Louis's ring career came to an end when Rocky Marciano knocked him out in the eighth round of their bout at Madison Square Garden on Oct.

26, 1951. Although he made a lot of money, it passed through his fingers quickly - and without the sort of accounting that the Internal Revenue Service expects. As a result, the Government calculated that his delinquent taxes - after penalties and interest - amounted to $1.25 million, a sum that Louis found staggering. ''I liked the good life,'' Louis said. ''I just don't know where the money went. I wish I did. I got 50 percent of each purse and all kinds of expenses came out of my cut.'' In the mid-1960's, an accommodation was reached with the Government and the boxer was able to pay off his obligations. In 1965, Dana Latham, the commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, informed Congress: ''We have gotten all we could possibly get from Mr. Louis, leaving him with some hope that he can live. His earning days are over.'' Louis was not officially forgiven by the tax collectors, but attempts at getting the money he owed ceased, according to a close friend of the boxer. Food Chain Planned Out of the ring for good, Louis tried to establish himself in a variety of careers.

He wrestled briefly and engaged in various sports and commercial promotions. In 1969, he and Billy Conn, who had lost twice to Louis in title fights, set up the Joe Louis Food Franchise Corporation in the hope of operating an inter-racial chain of food shops. In 1969, he collapsed on a lower Manhattan street and was rushed to Beekman-Downtown Hospital for treatment of what was then described as ''a physical breakdown.'' And in 1970, he spent five months at the Colorado Psychiatric Hospital and the Veterans Administration Hospital in Denver. He was hospitalized by his wife, Martha, and his son, Joe Louis Barrow Jr., suffering from paranoia. Because of his confinement he was unable to attend a tribute to him in Detroit that was attended by more than 8,000 people. Louis disclosed the truth about some of his problems in 1971 in a book, ''Brown Bomber, The Pilgrimage of Joe Louis,'' by Barney Nagler. He said that his collapse in 1969 had been caused by cocaine. And he admitted that his hospitalization had been prompted by his fear of a plot to destroy him.

Louis's son once said of his father: ''I couldn't help thinking of Arthur Miller's play, 'Death of a Salesman.' In the play, the man's name was Willy Loman, wasn't it? Well, there's a correlation between them. Wasn't Willy a grand guy, just like my father, and then he started growing old and losing his customers? He was never really aware that he had lost his territory. That's the tragedy of it, just like my father's.'' Louis's third wife, Martha, said, during her husband's troubles, ''Joe's not broke. He's rich-rich with friends. If he said he needed a dollar, a million people would send him a dollar and he'd be a millionaire.'' Joe Louis was more than just a boxing champion. He also had a role in the social history of the United States. In a 1970 article about Louis in Ebony magazine, Chester Higgins wrote: ''He gave inspiration to downtrodden and despised people. When Joe Louis fought, blacks in ghettos across the land were indoors glued to their radios, and when Louis won, as he nearly always did, they hit the streets whooping and hollering in celebration.

For Joe's victory was their victory, a means of striking back at an oppressive and hateful environment. Louis was the black Atlas on whose broad shoulders blacks were lifted, for in those days, there were few authentic black heroes.'' In 1974 he took time off from his job as a ''greeter'' at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nev., to referee the heavyweight fight between Joe Frazier and Jerry Quarry, proclaiming Frazier the winner after the fifth round because of heavy cuts on Quarry's face. Mr. Louis and Marva Trotter, a 19-year-old Chicago secretary, were married on Sept. 24, 1935. The marriage took place in a Harlem apartment just a few hours before Louis stepped into the ring and knocked out Max Baer. The couple were divorced in March 1945, but remarried a year later. They were divorced a second time in February 1949. A daughter, Jacquelin, was born to the couple on Feb. 8, 1943, and a son, Joe Jr., on May 28, 1947. Mr.

Louis's third marriage was to Rose Morgan, a New York cosmetics manufacturer, on Christmas Day, 1955. His fourth marriage was to Mrs. Martha Jackson, a Los Angeles lawyer. It took place March 17, 1959, after his union with Rose Morgan Louis was terminated by annulment. Mr. Louis's death came only a few hours after he had attended the heavyweight championship fight on Saturday night between Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick at Caesars Palace where for many years he was employed as a ''greeter.'' Since 1977, Mr. Louis had been confined to a wheelchair following surgery to correct an aortic aneurysm. His health over the last decade had been poor, beset with heart problems, emotional disorders and strokes. An electronic pacemaker was implanted near his heart last Dec. 23 in Houston. ''He was in a cardiac arrest when he arrived,'' said Shirley Brown, the nursing supervisor at Desert Springs Hospital. ''They did everything they could to revive him. He had been ill for quite some time. He had been hospitalized before.'' ''Mrs. Louis is taking it as well as can be expected,'' said Harry Wald, the president of Caesars Palace.

''We're very shocked at what happened. He was at the fight last night. He was really enjoying himself and his pacemaker was working very well. He was looking forward to attending the Diana Ross Show tomorrow night at the hotel and then this morning he just collapsed. It's very sad.'' A spokesman for the Louis family said that the former champion's body would lie in state on Thursday at Caesars Palace. Burial will be on Friday morning at a burial site yet to be determined. The Official Site of Joe Louis FACEBOOK Joe Louis burst onto the professional boxing scene in 1934 with style and skill such as the boxing world has seldom seen. Known to many as the "Brown Bomber," Louis emerged victorious from his first 27 fights, all but four of which he won in knockouts. In the early days of his career, he destroyed such great heavyweight fighters as Stanley Poreda, Natie Brown, and Rosco Toles. It was here that Louis delivered to the entire world a premonition of the reign of domination that he was to begin. Joe Louis Barrow was born on May 13, 1914.

His father, "Mun Barrow," was a cotton picker from Alabama and his family fought with poverty for most of his childhood. His family moved to Detroit in 1924, at which point Joe first became involved in boxing. Having grown up in the Old South, Louis had acquired the instinct and anger of a true fighter, even amidst the evils of racial discrimination and intolerance. His early career was a period of hard work and determination, and was one without glamour or fame. Ten years after his arrival in Detroit, Louis won the Golden Gloves as a light heavyweight. Following this win, Louis turned professional and won twelve contests within the first year. The first few years of Louis' pro career involved a steady ascension up the pyramid of the Heavyweight class. His boxing prowess, as well as his reputation, was growing at an incredible rate. In June of 1935, he fought Primo Carnera, the former heavyweight champion, before a Yankee Stadium crowd of 62,000. Louis followed this fight with a pairing against Max Baer, who he defeated by knockout in the fourth round.

Ernest Hemingway described this fight as "the most disgusting public spectacle outside of a public hanging" that he had ever seen. Joe Louis was seemingly invincible, until his meeting with Max Schmeling on June 19, 1936. Schmeling was the underdog but, to the surprise of all, gave Louis a defeat that would continue to sting long after the cuts had healed. Louis was counted out in the 12th round of this lengthy fight and suffered the first and most painful defeat of his boxing career. In 1937, Louis faced world heavyweight champion James J. Braddock in Chicago. In an eight round match, Louis captured the heavyweight title of the world by knocking Braddock out. After this victory, Louis stated, "I don't want nobody to call me champ until I beat Schmeling." Louis had ascended to the top of the boxing world, but in his estimate his journey was far from complete. His embarrassing loss to Max Schmeling was the only dark spot on a career that otherwise was the stuff of dreams, and he was consumed by a desire for revenge.

Following this successful title defense against Welsh boxer Tommy Farr in a 15-round marathon match, Louis initiated his "Bum of the Month" campaign. The idea was for Louis to take on a variety of fighters, whether they were contenders or not. During this period, on the day of June 22, 1938, Louis once again took on the only opponent who had ever beaten him, Max Schmeling. This time around, Louis knocked Schmeling out and captured the admiration of countless Americans. Louis gained a moral victory for himself and for his country, and simultaneously struck a damaging blow to Hitler and his pretentious beliefs. Louis' first punches, a pair of powerful left hooks, began his opponent's eventual demise. Schmeling complained bitterly about being hit with foul kidney punches, but every punch was a fair one. The fight was nothing short of ridiculous, with Schmeling falling to the floor in just two minutes and four seconds. It was this time period that bore witness to Louis' reign of terror in the heavyweight boxing world. Beginning in 1937, he began a 12-year reign as boxing's heavyweight champion of the world.

During this stretch, Louis had victories over Lou Nova, Tony Galento, Gus Dorazio, Buddy Baer, and Johnny Paycheck. Louis' epic battle with Billy Conn at the Polo Grounds also occurred during this time. In 1942, Joe Louis began a period of service in the Army and worked as a physical education teacher. It would be four years before Louis again returned to the ring. Between 1946 and 1949, Louis flawlessly defended his title four times, including two victorious fights against 'Jersey' Joe Walcott. Louis retired in 1949, still the undefeated heavyweight champ. Succumbing to financial pressures and government debts, Louis was forced back into the ring. In 1950, he attempted to recapture his title in a bout against Ezzard Charles. However, in a points decision, Louis was handed a loss. Not ready to accept defeat, he again tried his hand in 1951 against Rocky Marciano. During this unsuccessful return to the ring, Marciano knocked Louis through the ropes in the 8th round. This was Joe Louis' final time in the ring. He had earned $5 million in his illustrious boxing career.

But at 37, Joe Louis had not a single cent to show for it. To support himself, Louis decided to make a living as a Las Vegas casino host. Joe Louis still holds the distinction of having successfully defended his title more times than any other heavyweight in history. He knocked out five world champions and will remain a powerful part of boxing history for many decades to come. His life and success story serve as proof that black and white Americans can coexist. Joe Louis is a role model for all of us and proved that good sportsmanship can exist even in a sport as violent as boxing. When he died in 1981, Joe Louis was eulogized - and continues to be known - as one of the greatest prizefighters of all time. ASK MR. KNOW-IT-ALL: Brown bomber knocks out last name - - May 12, 2013 ASK MR. KNOW-IT-ALL: Brown bomber knocks out last name on May 12, 2013 2:50 AM Email Question: What is the last name of Joe Louis, the boxer known as “The Brown Bomber”? — B.L., Endicott, N.Y.

Answer: Joe Louis Barrow was born in Lafayette, Ala., on May 13, 1914. In the 1930s, amateur boxing was extremely popular. Barrow’s mother objected to her son fighting, so he hid his gloves in a violin case. The story goes that when he filled out the forms for one of his first amateur fights, there wasn’t enough room for his last name, Barrow, on the paper. So he fought as Joe Louis, which stuck for the rest of his career. He was the heavyweight boxing champion from June 22, 1937, until March 1, 1949. He died in 1981. Question: I love Charlie Chan movies. How many are there, and how many Charlie Chans were there? — E.M.C., Plano, Texas Answer: Charlie Chan is a fictional Chinese-American detective created by Earl Derr Biggers. There were a total of 47 Charlie Chan movies made from 1926 through 1949. There were many actors who portrayed the detective with countless words of wisdom.

The three with the most credits are Warner Oland (16 films), Sidney Toler (22 films) and Roland Winters (six films). Peter Ustinov played Chan in the critically panned “The Curse of the Dragon Queen” in 1981. Question: I have a question about Kate Smith’s TV show: I remember watching her in the afternoon, but my husband insists that she had a nighttime show. We both agree it was on in the early 1950s. Who is right about the time slot? — H.C., Rutland, Vt. Answer: You are both right. In the afternoon, you were watching “The Kate Smith Hour,” which ran from 1950 to 1954. In late 1951, she had an evening show, “The Kate Smith Evening Hour,” which ran for less than a year. In 1960, she had “The Kate Smith Show,” but that ran for only six months. Question: We refer to someone who is insignificant as a pipsqueak. Why? — I.W., Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Answer: There are several explanations for the word, but a common one is that the word came into being during World War I. The Germans had a wide range of artillery, from very large to very small. Allied forces thought the small shells had an unusual sound, something like a “squeak” when they arrived on target, followed by a “pip” — not a boom — when they exploded. In time, the name was applied to people. Question: Do you know the story of the bank building that was sent through the mail? My grandfather used to talk about it, but I never really believed him. — N.L.B., Bedford, Ind. Answer: Believe him — it’s true! In 1916, W.H. Coltharp, of Vernal, Utah, wanted to construct a new building for his general store and an attached corner bank. He wanted his structure to be modern, so that meant using brick. Vernal is located in the northeast section of Utah, which is not always easily accessible, so the bricks would have to be shipped 430 miles.

The cost of shipping 80,000 bricks that far by rail and wagon was more than four times as much as the bricks were worth. Coltharp wrapped each brick and placed them in 50-pound bundles (seven bricks per bundle). He shipped the bricks via U.S. parcel post at a considerable savings. After the Bank of Vernal was completed, locals gave it the nickname “The Parcel Post Bank.” The bank still stands, but is now Zions First National Bank. Send your questions to Mr. Know-It-All at AskMrKIA@gmail.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Question: What boxer was known as "The Brown Bomber"?
Answer: Joe Louis