Happy Birthday Joe Louis

“Every man's got to figure to get beat sometime” - Joe Louis

(Joe Louis)

Joe Louis was born as Joseph Barrow on May 13th, 1914 in LaFayette, Alabama, USA. As a child Louis had a speech impediment. When Barrow was 2 years old his father was put into a mental institution. In 1926 Barrow and his family moved to Detroit, MI due to the Ku Klux Klan threatening the family. In 1932 Barrow made his amateur debut.

(Louis in the early 1930’s)

After making his debut he became known as “Joe Louis”. Louis compiled numerous amateur victories, eventually winning the club championship of his Brewster Street recreation centre. In 1933 Louis won the Detroit area Golden Gloves Novice Division championship against Joe Biskey for the light heavyweight classification. He later lost in the Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions. In 1934 Louis won the Golden Gloves' Open Division and the Chicago Tournament of Champions. In April of 1934 Louis won the United States Amateur Champion National AAU tournament in St. Louis, MO. By the end of Louis’ ameteur career he was 50-4 with 43 knockouts.

(A poster of Louis)

In 1934 Louis started his professional career, he earned $59 for knocking out his opponent in the 1st round. Bookmaker John Roxborough represented Louis. Louis' initial professional fights were all located in the Chicago area. In 1935 Louis married Marva Trotter.

(Louis (Right) and his wife, Marva Trotter (Left))

There were few heavyweight black contenders at this time. Louis and his handlers emphasized his modesty and sportsmanship to make him more popular with White audiences. Louis signed an onerous long-term contract that collectively dedicated half of Louis' future income to the pair of Roxborough and his lawyer Julian Black. Black and Roxborough continued to carefully shape Louis' media image. In 1935 Louis fought 13 times. On June 25th of 1935 Louis' victory over Carnera, who symbolized Benito Mussolini's regime, was seen as a victory for the international community, particularly among African Americans, who were sympathetic to Ethiopia.

(Louis (Right) with Primo Carnera (Left))

Louis was then nicknamed by White press as the “Brown Bomber”. In September of 1935 Louis dominated heavyweight champion Max Baer knocking him out in 4th round. Louis won athlete of the year in 1935. In 1936 Max Schmeling handed Louis his first professional loss by knocking him out in Round 12 at Yankee Stadium. On June 22nd, 1937 Louis defeated James Braddock in round eight, knocking him out cold with a strong right hand that bust James' teeth through his gum shield and lip and paralyzed him to the ground for a few minutes.

(Louis (Left) and James Braddock (Right))

Louis became the heavyweight champion. On June 22nd, 1938 Louis and Schmeling met for a fight again at Yankee Stadium before a crowd of 70,043 people. Louis beat Schmeling after 3 knockdowns.

(Louis (Right) fighting Max Schmeling (Left))

From January of 1939 to May of 1941 Louis defended the heavyweight title 13 times. In 1942 Louis fought a charity bout for the Navy Relief Society which generated $47,000 for the fund. Louis then volunteered to be in the Army. Louis was assigned to a segregated cavalry unit based in Fort Riley, KS.

(Louis in the Army)

The Army placed Louis in its Special Services Division rather than deploying him into combat. Louis was the focus of a media recruitment campaign encouraging African American men to enlist in the Armed Services. In 1945 Louis was promoted to the rank of technical sergeant. Louis was also awarded the Legion of Merit. In October of 1945 he was released from the military. When Louis left the service he was $100,000 in debt. His return match in 1946 was the most profitable of his career. In 1949 Louis retired from boxing. In 1950 Louis owed $500,000 to the IRS. Louis had to continue boxing. In 1951 Louis fought and lost to Rocky Marciano.

(Louis (Right) fighting Rocky Marciano (Left))

Louis then retired for good from boxing. In 1953 a movie about Louis’ life was released. In 1956 Louis became a professional wrestler but later became a wrestling referee. Many of his former boxing opponents helped Louis with his tax troubles. In 1969 Louis collapsed due to cocaine use.

(Louis in 1969)

On April 12th, 1981 Joe Louis died of cardiac arrest in Paradise, Nevada, USA. He was 66 years old.

(Louis’ gravestone)

Today is his 103rd birthday and we would all like to say happy birthday and rest in peace Joe Louis.  

Videos of Joe Louis

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BLGdFQPh8c  “Joe Louis vs Max Schmeling II - June 22, 1938”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD5uOEpV3zE  “Rocky Marciano knocks out Joe Louis”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvhscZl7He4  “22.6.1937 James J. Braddock vs Joe Louis”