OT: The Sad Tale Of The Champ

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Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>I've had these pics for years, but I don't think I've ever shown them before....These photos show Joe Louis the former heavyweight boxing champion refereeing professional wrestling matches at our local auditorium in 1968. Louis was forced to do odd jobs to try and pay off his debt that he owed the IRS and this is one of the ways he tried to do that.<br /><br /><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/Other%20Sports%20Memorabila/jl7.jpg"><br /><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/Other%20Sports%20Memorabila/jl6.jpg"><br /><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/Other%20Sports%20Memorabila/jl5.jpg"><br /><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/Other%20Sports%20Memorabila/jl4.jpg"><br /><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/Other%20Sports%20Memorabila/jl3.jpg"><br /><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/Other%20Sports%20Memorabila/jl2.jpg"><br /><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/Other%20Sports%20Memorabila/jl1.jpg"><br />

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Posted By: <b>DMcD</b><p>In better days:<br /><img src="http://www.network54.com/Realm/June07/JoeLouis.jpg"><br />"To a good fighter from a lucky one-Joe Louis"<br />Just won this fine photo from Mastro.

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Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>Louis looked in as good of physical shape at 54 for as he did when 22.

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Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>He must have had bad genes because he had to have heart surgery twice and he had a stroke shortly before he died.

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Posted By: <b>Max Weder</b><p>Honus Wagner was also down on his luck, before the Pirates brought him back as a coach, if I recall correctly.<br /><br />Max

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Posted By: <b>paulstratton</b><p>Being from Detroit I have always had a soft spot for "The Champ". The prize money just wasn't there back then. As a side note, Louis was a pretty good golfer.

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Posted By: <b>Jimmy</b><p>He was a sad man after his fighting days, and was pulled so many different directions, if he was alive today I believe he would have better options<br /><br />Jimmy<br />

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Posted By: <b>Tom Boblitt</b><p>we went to Arlington cemetary and walking up to the Tomb of the unknown solder we saw Joe's tombstone.<br /><br /><img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i91/autograf99/joe_louis_tombstone_arlington.jpg">

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Posted By: <b>Mike Ernst</b><p>Dan--<br />Pershing auditorium!! Saw the Globetrotters there. Snuck into a Peter, Paul, and Mary concert there. Watched Oklahoma block Jim Baffico's punt there and beat Nebraska (in the days they used to set up large screens in there and sell tickets. Marched in the state marching band contest in there.<br />Many good memories--left Lincoln for school in 1965, and have been back many times, but I'm not sure about being in Pershing since about 69 or 70.<br />Mike Ernst

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Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>Mike, my fondest memories of Pershing were the monthly flea markets they had in the basement....that's where I first saw T206 and Cracker Jack cards. In fact that flea market is where I purchased the above photos of Joe Louis. The auditorium may not be here much longer though as Lincoln is in the planning stages for a new arena in the Haymarket.