Boxed In

Or

Put Away the Schmeling Salts
(Props to Don)

German boxing legend Max Schmeling, the first European world heavyweight champ, died at the age of 99. Schmeling took the title from Jack Sharkey in 1930, but is best remembered for his two bouts with Joe Louis. Schemling, a 10-1 underdog, knocked out the previously unbeaten Louis in 1936, which was trumped by the Nazi regime as a sign of Aryan supremacy. Course, Aryan supremacy isn’t what it used to be, and Louis came back to knock out Schmeling in the first round of their rematch in 1938. Losing to a black man didn’t endear Schmeling to the Third Reich, and he lost his favored son status. Although forever branded as Hitler’s boxer, Schmeling never actually joined the Nazi party and used his status to challenge Adolph Hitler repeatedly, demanding a guarantee for the safety of American athletes at the 1936 Olympics, and refusing to fire his Jewish manager or divorce his Czech wife. He also hid two Jewish boys in his apartment during the Nazi round-up of Jews on Kristallnacht. Following the war, Schmeling used his earnings to secure the license to the Coca-Cola franchise in Germany, which made him one of the richest men in the country. He used his wealth to fund philanthropic efforts throughout the country. He also quietly sent money to his friend Louis, by this time destitute, and paid for Louis’ funeral in 1981.