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 Joe Louis (Barrow) Posted by:  JimmyEv
N 38° 52.619 W 077° 04.277
18S E 320325 N 4305164
President Ronald Reagan waived the technical requirements for burial at Arlington National Cemetery to accommodate boxing legend Joe Louis, world heavyweight boxing champion for eleven years.
Waymark Code: WM2HGN
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 11/05/2007
Views: 190
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Joe Louis Barrow was born in LaFayette, Alabama, moving to Detroit when he was 10. After shortening his name to ‘Joe Louis,’ he entered the only sport open to African Americans at the time - boxing - and he excelled. From 1937 through 1950 he knocked out 23 opponents, including Nazi opponent Max Schmeling, in 27 title fights. During World War II, Louis continued fighting, becoming a spokesman for the Army. He retired in 1949 with a record of 69 wins and three losses.
After retirement, Louis’s life crumbled. An alimony agreement with his wife revealed that he had earned over $5 million during his career. Nothing wrong with that, except he had neglected to pay taxes on most of it. For repayment of taxes the government seized most of his remaining income. This forced Louis into a disastrous return to the boxing ring. After that failure, he turned to wrestling and ended his career as a greeter at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.
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Description:
Joe Louis was the world heavyweight boxing champion for 11 years.
Date of birth: 05/13/1914
Date of death: 04/12/1981
Area of notoriety: Sports
Marker Type: Headstone
Setting: Outdoor
Visiting Hours/Restrictions: April 1 - September 30, 8am-7pm; October 1 - March 31, 8am-5pm
Fee required?: No
Web site: [Web Link]
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