Sports Spotlights

Joe Louis

Joe Louis was an American Professional Boxer. He was born Joseph Louis Barrow on May 13, 1914, in Lafayette, Alabama. Louis made his amateur debut in boxing in early 1932 at the age of 17. In 1933, Louis won the Detroit-area Golden Gloves Novice Division Championship. During his professional career, Louis had 72 fights with only three losses and a total of 57 knockouts. He was the World-Heavyweight Champion from 1937-1948. He retired in 1949. He was given the nickname the "Brown Bomber." Unfortunately in his latter years, Louis would battle cocaine addiction. As a result, he died of cardiac arrest in Desert Springs Hospital on April 12, 1981. On August 26, 1982. Louis was approved posthumously for the Congressional Gold Medal. He also became the first boxer honored on a postage stamp in 1993.