On This Day In Alabama History: Boxing Champ Joe Louis Was Honored

By Alabama NewsCenter Staff

Known as the “Brown Bomber,” Alabama native Joe Louis is considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxing champions of all time. Joseph Louis Barrow was born on May 13, 1914, in a shack near LaFayette, Alabama. He shortened his name to Joe Louis when he ran out of room for his full name when filling out a form for one of his first amateur bouts. At age 13, Louis moved with his family to Detroit, where he fell in love with boxing. At a time when most sports were segregated in America, Louis was among the first African-Americans to rise to national hero status. Louis had a career record of 68 wins and three losses, and 54 of those wins were by knockout. Louis holds the record for successfully defending his title more than any other heavyweight boxer. He won 27 championship bouts. Louis was inducted into the inaugural class of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1969. After suffering from declining health, Louis died of a heart attack on April 12, 1981. He was honored on Feb. 27, 2010, when his hometown of LaFayette unveiled an 8-foot bronze statue. The statue sits atop a base of Alabama red granite and stands near the Chambers County Courthouse.

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