EL BOXEO Capitulo 1 19 de enero, 1936: Max schmeling entra en el ring it was 19th june, 1936 in yankee stadium, New

York. There was an unusual silence as Max Schmeling entered the boxing ring and sat down in his corner. For the spectators, it was like watching a lamb on this corner. For the spectors, it was like whatching a lamb on its way to the slaughter. Max had once been a great boxer, but that was few years ago. Today, most boxing fans knew that he was past his prime. Max was aware that most people in the stadium that night believed he had little hope of lasting more than a couple of rounds against the invincible Joe Louis. Max's friends wondered if, even at his best, he could have survived for long against the unstoppable "Brown Bomber". era 19 de junio 1936 en el Yankee Stadium, Nueva York. Hubo un silencio inusual, ya que Max Schmeling entr en el ring de boxeo y se sent en su rincn. Para los espectadores, era como ver a un cordero en esta esquina. Para los inspectores, era como whatching un cordero en su camino a la masacre. Max haba sido un gran boxeador, pero eso fue hace unos aos. Hoy en da, los fanticos del boxeo ms saba que l haba pasado su mejor momento. Max era consciente de que la mayora de las personas en el estadio esa noche crea que tena pocas esperanzas de que dura ms de un par de rondas contra el invencible Joe Louis. Amigos de Max se pregunt si, incluso en su mejor momento, podra haber sobrevivido durante mucho tiempo contra el imparable "Bombardero Brown". Max looked at the Yankee stadium crowd. Although he was far away from his native Germany, many of the faces he saw were familiar and seemed to be giving him encouraging smiles or was it pity? Schmeling had already been to the US several times and had lots of local friends. New York was second home, but Berlin was his first love. Max mir a la multitud del Yankee Stadium. A pesar de que estaba muy lejos de su pas natal, Alemania, muchos de los rostros que vea eran familiares y pareca estar dndole sonrisas alentadoras - o era lstima? Schmeling ya haba estado en los EE.UU. varias veces y tena un montn de amigos locales. Nueva York era su segunda casa, pero Berln fue su primer amor. ** Maximilian Adolph Otto Siegfried Schmeling was born in the small northern German town of Klein-Luckow on 28th September, 1905 but his parents moved to Hamburg soon after his birth. Young Max was a bright student and an excellent sportsman. In 1921, his father took him to the cinema, where they saw the world heavyweight title fight between American Jack Dempsey and Frenchman George Carpentier. From that day, Max was fascinated by the sport. He read books about boxing and used to practise with his friends. They didn't have boxing gloves, so they used Max's father's socks instead! Max's father was not happy when his son told him he dreamed about becoming a professional boxer. At that time, boxing had only recently become legal in Germany and few people were interested in the sport. However, all that was going to change. His father had hoped that Max would work in adversting, but his son tried it and immediately saw it was not for him. Finally, his father gave in and bought Max a pair of boxing gloves. Al least, he got his socks back! Maximilian Adolf Otto Siegfried Schmeling naci en la pequea ciudad del norte de Alemania de Klein-Luckow el 28 de septiembre 1905, pero sus padres se trasladaron a Hamburgo poco despus de su nacimiento. Joven Max era un estudiante brillante y un excelente deportista. En 1921, su padre lo llev al cine, donde vieron la pelea de ttulo mundial de peso pesado entre el estadounidense Jack Dempsey y el francs George Carpentier. A partir de ese da, Max estaba fascinado por el deporte. Ley libros

sobre boxeo y sola practicar con sus amigos. Ellos no tenian guantes de boxeo, as Max que usaban los calcetines en lugar de los guantes! Padre de Max no era feliz cuando su hijo le dijo que soaba con convertirse en un boxeador profesional. En ese momento, el boxeo acababa de ser legal en Alemania y pocas personas estaban interesadas en el deporte. Sin embargo, todo eso iba a cambiar. Su padre esperaba que Max iba a funcionar en adverstising, pero su hijo lo intent y de inmediato vio que no era para l. Finalmente, su padre cedi y compr Max un par de guantes de boxeo. Al menos, se puso los calcetines de vuelta! They didn't have boxing gloves, so they used Max's father's socks instead! At the age of 17, Max left home to seek his fortune in the city of Cologne. Boxing was his only passion. He joined the Mlheim Amateur Boxing Club and trained like a man with a mission. By 1928, Max had reached the light heavyweight final of the German championships. He was disappointed to narrowly lose the final fight, but many important people were impressed by his fighting skills. Suddenly, Max had a trainer and a manager and was on his way to Berlin. A la edad de 17 aos, Max se fue de casa para buscar fortuna en la ciudad de Colonia. El boxeo era su nica pasin. Se uni a la Mlheim Amateur Boxing Club y entrenado como un hombre con una misin. En 1928, Max haba llegado a la final de peso semipesado del campeonato alemn. Se decepcion al perder por poco la lucha final, pero muchas personas importantes quedaron impresionados por sus habilidades de combate. De repente, Max tena un entrenador y un gerente y se diriga a Berln. These were the days of the Weimer Republic. Berlin was a wonderful, cosmopolitan city. It was a place of art, cultture, love and living for the moment. Marx was fascinated by the place. He met famous writers and actors and was always welcomed at the most exclusive clubs and parties. Artists painted him and sculptors carved his masculine physique in marble. He was pursued by gorgeous women, and later, he married ine of the most beautiful and talented actresses inn Germany. Estos fueron los das de la Repblica Weimer. Berln era una ciudad maravillosa, cosmopolita. Era un lugar de arte, cultture, el amor y la vida por el momento. Marx estaba fascinado por el lugar. Se reuni con escritores y actores famosos, y fue acogido siempre a los clubes ms exclusivos y fiestas. Artistas l pint y escultores tallado su fsico masculino en mrmol. Fue perseguido por las mujeres hermosas, y ms tarde, se cas con el INE de las ms bellas y talentosas actrices Alemania posada. That year, Max arrived in New York for the first time and met Joe Jacobs, who became his new manager. After defeating the Apaniard Paulino Uzcudun, and following world champion Gene Tunney's retirement, Max suddenly found himself as a leading contender the world heavyweight belt. On 12th June, 1930 Max met the American boxer Joe Sharkey in a match that was called the Battle of the Continents. Although Max was younger and stronger, he began slowly and by the fourth round was behind on points. Then, suddenly, Sharkey punched him in the groin, and Max fell to thw floor in pain. Ese ao, Max lleg a Nueva York por primera vez y se reuni con Joe Jacobs, quien se convirti en su nuevo manager. Despus de derrotar al Apaniard Paulino Uzcudun, y tras el retiro de campen del mundo de Gene Tunney, Max se encontr de pronto como uno de los principales el cinturn mundial de peso pesado.

El 12 de junio 1930 Max conoci al boxeador estadounidense Joe Sharkey en un partido que se llam la "Batalla de los Continentes". Aunque Max era ms joven y ms fuerte, comenz poco a poco y por la cuarta ronda estaba detrs de los puntos. Entonces, de repente, Sharkey le dio un puetazo en la ingle, y Max cay al suelo por el dolor. But this was a good thing for Max. According to the rules of boxing at that time, a low blow was a reasin for disqualification. Joe Jacobs ran excitedly into the ring and demanded that Schmeling be declared the winner. Some moments of confusion followed and finally, it was announced that Max Schmeling would be crowned the new world champion. Max returned to Germany expecting to be greeted as a hero, but soon discorvered that German boxing writers mocked him, calling him the low-blow champion. Then two years later, Max fought a return fight against Sharkey was declared the winner. This time, Schmeling returned to Germany as a hero and sportswriters wrote that he had brought credit to German sport. In the four years that followed, Max's results were mediocre. He was still among the best, but was he good enough to stop the Brown Bomber? Pero esto era algo bueno para Max. De acuerdo a las reglas del boxeo en ese momento, un "golpe bajo" era un reasin de descalificacin. Joe Jacobs corri emocionado al ring y le exigi que Schmeling ser declarado el ganador. Algunos momentos de confusin sigui y finalmente, se anunci que Max Schmeling ser coronado como el nuevo campen del mundo. Max volvi a Alemania esperando ser recibido como un hroe, pero pronto discorvered que los escritores de boxeo alemanes se burlaban de l, llamndolo el "golpe bajo campen". Luego, dos aos ms tarde, Max se enfrentaron en una pelea revancha contra Sharkey fue declarado el ganador. Esta vez, Schmeling regres a Alemania como un hroe y periodistas deportivos escribi que haba "trado crdito al deporte alemn". En los cuatro aos que siguieron, los resultados de Max eran mediocres. Todava estaba entre los mejores, pero era lo suficientemente bueno para detener el Bombardero Brown? Capitulo 2 19th June, 1936: Joe Louis Enters the Ring 19 de junio 1936: Joe Louis entra en el ring Joseph Louis Barrow, or Joe Louis as he called himself, entered the ring and the crowd roared like hungry lions. Louis was the most exciting thing that had happened in the world of boxing in 20 years. Even today, many experts still regard him as the greatest boxer of all time. Joe looked quickly at Max and then at the floor as he had been instructed. His manager had taught him to appear calm and modest at all times. Joe was closer than he hd ever been to the world title, but from the beginning he knew that this biggest enemy would be his colour. Louis was a black man in a sport owned and run by white men. For 20 years, since the legendary black boxing champion Jack Johnson, no other black boxer had been given a chance to win the world heavyweight title. His trainer, Jack Blackburn, still didn't really believe that Joe would be given that opportunity. Joseph Louis Barrow, o "Joe Louis", como l mismo se llamaba, entr en el ring y la multitud ruga como leones hambrientos. Louis era la cosa ms emocionante que haba sucedido en el mundo del boxeo en 20 aos. Incluso hoy en da, muchos expertos todava lo consideran como el ms grande boxeador de todos los tiempos. Joe mir rpidamente a Max y luego en el suelo, como se le haba ordenado. Su manager le haba enseado a aparecer tranquilo y modesto en todo momento. Joe estaba ms cerca de lo que l hd

estado alguna vez en el ttulo mundial, pero desde el principio se saba que este sera el mayor enemigo de su color. Louis era un hombre negro en un deporte dirigido y manejado por hombres blancos. Durante 20 aos, desde que el legendario campen de boxeo negro Jack Johnson, ningn boxeador negro otro se haba dado la oportunidad de ganar el ttulo de peso pesado del mundo. Su entrenador, Jack Blackburn, todava no crea que Joe se le dara esa oportunidad. Joe was very talented and had an unusually powerful punch, but a few influential men controlled boxing, and they had sworn never again to suffer the humiliation of a black world champion. Blackburn had also been a great boxer in his day, and knew as much about the sport as any man alive. Although he thought he was wasting his time, he had agreed to train Joe because he needed the money. He taught his star student many things but most important of all was never to let the fiight go to a judges descision. The judges will always rule against a black man, he warned. Always knock your opponents out. Let your fists be your judges. Joe looked at the audience in Yankee Stadium and saw his mother, Lillie. This was the first time she had come to come to one of this fights and she was very nervous. Hers had not been an easy life. Joe was her seventh child, born on 13th may, 1914 in a hut in Lafayette, Alabama, where she lived with her husband, Munroe Barrow. When Joe was only two, his father was put into a mental institution. Soon after, his mother was told that he was dead and she later married a man called Pat Brooks. Joe always thounght of Pat as his real father. The family moved to Detrit, Michigan in 1926, where Pat found work building Ford motor cars. Joe era muy talentoso y tena un golpe extraordinariamente poderoso, pero unos pocos hombres influyentes controlan el boxeo, y que haba jurado nunca volver a sufrir la humillacin de un campen del mundo negro. Blackburn tambin haba sido un gran boxeador en su da, y saba tanto sobre el deporte como cualquier hombre vivo. A pesar de que pensaba que estaba perdiendo el tiempo, haba accedido a formar a Joe porque necesitaba el dinero. Ense a sus alumnos cosas muchas estrellas pero lo ms importante de todo, nunca fue dejar que el fiight ir a una descision jueces. "Los jueces siempre se pronunciar en contra de un hombre negro", advirti. "Siempre golpear a tus oponentes fuera. Deje que sus puos sern vuestros jueces. " Joe mir a la audiencia en el Yankee Stadium y vio a su madre, Lillie. Esta fue la primera vez que haba ido a asistir a una de estas peleas y estaba muy nervioso. La suya no fue una vida fcil. Joe era su sptimo hijo, nacido el 13 de mayo de 1914 en una cabaa en Lafayette, Alabama, donde viva con su marido, Munroe Barrow. Cuando Joe era slo dos aos, su padre fue puesto en una institucin mental. Poco despus, su madre le dijeron que estaba muerto y que ms tarde se cas con un hombre llamado Pat Brooks. Joe siempre thounght de Pat como su verdadero padre. La familia se mud a Detrit, Michigan en 1926, donde encontr trabajo de construccin Pat Ford automviles. Joe worked in tough manual jobs. Joe trabaj en trabajos manuales difciles. This made him strong, and soon he looked like he was born to box. Joe began to enter boxing competitions and progressed well. Finally, his mother discorvered his secret her son was never going to be a violin player, but he might find fame and fortune in the world of boxing. Lillie Brooks was a devout Christian and knew nothing about boxing, but she believed in her son. She told him that if boxing was to be his choice, she should do it as well as he could. Esto le hizo fuerte, y pronto l se vea como si hubiera nacido a la caja. Joe comenz a participar en los concursos de boxeo y progresado bien. Finalmente, su madre discorvered su secreto - su hijo nunca iba a ser un violinista, pero podra encontrar fama y fortuna en el mundo del boxeo. Lillie Brooks era una cristiana de dev otoy no saba nada sobre el boxeo, pero ella creia en su hijo. Ella le dijo que si el boxeo iba a ser su eleccin, debe hacerlo tan bien como pudiera.

In 1934, the leading boxing promoter Mike Jacobs signed Joe up as a professional boxer. Blackburn became his trainer ands Joe knew he was going in the right direction. In the same year, Joe beat two former world champions. A year later, he married Marva Trotter. He was not a good husband and had many girlfriends. Joe and Marva divorced, remarried and divorced again. Apart from Marva, he had two other wives. En 1934, el principal promotor de boxeo Mike Jacobs firm Joe como un boxeador profesional. Blackburn se convirti en su entrenador ands Joe saba que iba en la direccin correcta. En el mismo ao, Joe golpearon a dos ex campeones del mundo. Un ao ms tarde, se cas con Marva Trotter. No era un buen marido y tena muchas novias. Joe y Marva se divorciaron,y se volvio a casar y se divorci de nuevo. Aparte de Marva, tuvo otras dos esposas. While Joe had always been a hero to American blacks, the writhe boxing fans were slower to accept him. Jacobs arranged for articles and photographs of Joe Louis to be printed in newspapers usually read by white people. One famous picture showed him reading from his mother's bible; another showed Joe giving his mother the keys to a house he had bought he with his winnings. Readers were told that Joe was carfully saving up his money for his retirement. In reality, only the story of the house was true. Joe rarely read anything and spent money as quickly as he earned it. Mientras que Joe siempre haba sido un hroe para los negros norteamericanos, los fans se retuercen de boxeo eran ms antiguos que lo aceptara. Jacobs dispuesto para los artculos y fotografas de Joe Louis a imprimir en los peridicos suelen leer por gente blanca. Un famoso cuadro le mostr la lectura de la Biblia de su madre, otro mostr Joe dando a su madre las llaves de una casa que haba comprado con sus ganancias. Los lectores se les dijo que Joe estaba carefully ahorrando su dinero para su jubilacin. En realidad, slo la historia de la casa era cierto. Joe raramente lee nada y gasta el dinero tan rpido como lo ha ganado. Joe's promoters gave him a list of rules to follow. These included living a clean life, not being seen with while women, not laughing at defeated opponents and generally being a good black man. They were not racists most of them were blacks themselves but they knew that if Joe wanted a chance to fight for the heavyweight title, he had to show the world that he was different from the previous black boxing champion, the legendary but controversial, Jack Johnson, who did not obey these rules. Promotores de Joe le dio una lista de reglas a seguir. Entre ellos vivir una vida limpia y no ser visto mientras que las mujeres con no rerse de oponentes derrotados y en general ser un hombre negro bueno ". Ellos no eran racistas - la mayora de ellos eran negros mismos - pero saba que si quera que Joe la oportunidad de pelear por el ttulo de peso pesado, tena que demostrar al mundo que l era diferente al anterior campen negro de boxeo, el legendario pero controversial, Jack Johnson, quien no obedezca estas reglas. As a boxer, Joe Louis seemed unstoppable. Experienced fighters were afraid to step into the ring with him. One was dragged there from the bathroom, where he was hiding, and another begged the referee to tell Joe to stop hitting him. The only man who seemed to be unafraid of the Brown Bomber was Max Schmeling. A few days before the fight, he smiled and told boxing journalists that he had seen a weakness in Joe Louis' boxing. The journalists were sceptical, but very interested in the result of this match. Schmeling stood between Joe Louis and a title fight against Jim Braddock. Braddock was not considered a dangerous world champion and most experts agreed that the first good fighter to meet him would take his belt. Was this going to be Joe Louis' next achievement?

Como un boxeador, Joe Louis pareca imparable. Combatientes experimentados tenan miedo de subir al ring con l. Una de ellas fue arrastrada desde el bao, donde se esconda, y otro pidi que el rbitro diga a Joe dejara de golpearlo. El nico hombre que pareca no tener miedo del Bombardero Brown fue Max Schmeling. Unos das antes de la pelea, l sonri y dijo a los periodistas de boxeo que haba visto a una debilidad en el boxeo Joe Louis. Los periodistas se mostraron escpticos, pero muy interesados en el resultado de este partido. Schmeling se interpona entre Joe Louis y una pelea por el ttulo contra Jim Braddock. Braddock no era considerado un campen del mundo peligroso y la mayora de los expertos coincidieron en que el buen luchador primero en reunirse con l tomara su cinturn. Fue esto va a ser el logro prximo Joe Louis '? Capitulo 3 19th june, 1936: Jack Johnson Jack Johnson, the former world heavyweight boxing champion, sat among the spectators in Yankee Stadium that night. Unlike most people there, he believed that Max Schmeling would survive the match against Joe Louis. He had even placed a large bet on Max Schmeling to win, and if Joe Louis lost this match, Johnson would be a rich man by the end of the night. Johnson had been the first black world heavyweight champion, from 1908 to 1915 and after him, the while world of boxing swore that he would be the last. John (Jack) Arthur Johnson was bron on 3st March, 1878 in Galveston, Texas. He was the son of former slaves, but always saw himself as a free man and equal to any white man. Although he left school early to work in the docks, he was intelligent and spoke impressively. But he lived in an era of great prejudice. The white boxers wouldn't give a black man the opportunity to fight for the world heavyweight title. They felt it would be humiliating to have a world champion who was black. There were several great black boxers, but they were forced to fight each other, usually for very little money. They ofthen died young and broke. 19 de junio 1936: Jack Johnson Jack Johnson, ex campen de peso pesado de boxeo,del mundo se sent entre los espectadores en el estadio de los Yankees esa noche. A diferencia de la mayora de la gente all, crea que Max Schmeling sobrevivira el partido contra Joe Louis. Haba colocado incluso una apuesta grande en Max Schmeling para ganar, y si Joe Louis perdia este partido, Johnson sera un hombre rico para el final de la noche. Johnson haba sido el primer negro campen de peso pesado del mundo, de 1908 a 1915 y despus de l, el mundo del boxeo, mientras juraba que iba a ser la ltima. John ("Jack") Arthur Johnson era bron 3ST en marzo de 1878 en Galveston, Texas. l era el hijo de antiguos esclavos, pero siempre se vio como un hombre libre e igual a cualquier hombre blanco. Aunque dej la escuela para trabajar en los muelles, era inteligente y hablaba de manera impresionante. Pero l vivi en una poca de gran prejuicio. Los boxeadores blancos no le dara a un hombre negro la oportunidad de pelear por el ttulo mundial de peso pesado. Ellos sentan que sera humillante tener un campen del mundo que fuera negro. Haba varios boxeadores negros grandes, pero se vieron obligados a luchar entre s, por lo general por muy poco dinero. A menudo, murian jovenes y se corrompian. As a young man, Johnson was arrested for fighting against Joe Choynski for money and they were imprisoned together for a month. During that month, the experienced Choynski taught Jack everything he knew and Jack's style developed. Jack learned to avoid his opponents and tire them out before hitting them with powerful blows. He was big and strong, and soon became known as the Galveston Gian. Cuando era joven, Johnson fue arrestado por luchar contra Joe Choynski-precio y fueron encarcelados juntos durante un mes. Durante ese mes, el experimentado Choynski Jack ense todo lo que saba y desarroll el estilo de Jack. Jack aprendi a evitar a sus opositores y neumticos fuera

antes de golpear con golpes potentes. Era grande y fuerte, y pronto lleg a ser conocido como el "Gian Galveston". In 1906, the Ganadian Tommy Burns became the world heavyweight champion after the legendary James J. Jeffries retired. Jeffries had refused to even think about boxing against Johnson, but Jack thought he had a better chance of convinving Burns. Johnson followed Burns around the world to every fight, always buying the best ticket and then mocking Burns from the beginning to the end of each fight. En 1906, el Ganadian Tommy Burns se convirti en el campen mundial de peso pesado despus de que el legendario James J. Jeffries se retir. Jeffries se haba negado a pensar siquiera en boxeo contra Johnson, pero Jack pens que tena ms posibilidades de convinving Burns. Johnson sigui Burns alrededor del mundo para cada pelea, siempre comprando el mejor billete y luego Burns burlones desde el principio hasta el final de cada pelea. Eventually, in 1908, Burns was so angry, he agreed to fight Johnson. This was a bad decision for Burns. Johnson beat him almost without effort, and became the first black world heavyweight champion. The white world of boxing was furious to have a black boxing champion. After several more victories by Johnson, Jeffries announced in 1910 that he would return to challenge him to regain the title for the White race. But Jeffries was out of practice, and after being beaten up by Johnson in The Fight of the Century, he admitted that Johnson was a better sportsman than he was. Finalmente, en 1908, Burns estaba tan enojado, accedi a luchar contra Johnson. Esta fue una mala decisin de Burns. Johnson lo golpearon casi sin esfuerzo, y se convirti en el primer campen mundial de peso pesado negro. El mundo de los blancos de boxeo estaba furioso de tener un negro campen de boxeo. Despus de varias victorias ms por Johnson, Jeffries anunci en 1910 que iba a regresar a desafiarlo para recuperar el ttulo de la "raza blanca". Pero Jeffries estaba fuera de prctica, y despus de ser golpeado por Johnson en "La Pelea del Siglo", admiti que Johnson era un deportista mejor que l. After that, it seemed no boxer alive was in the same league as Jack Johnson and the world began to search for a New White Hope. Athletes were recruited from other sports and retires champions brought back to train them. Johnson smiled as he knocked them all out. Despus de eso, pareca que ningn boxeador con vida fue en la misma liga que Jack Johnson y el mundo empez a buscar una "nueva esperanza blanca". Los atletas fueron reclutados de otros deportes y se retira campeones trado para entrenarlos. Johnson sonri cuando l golpe a todos. However, what made so many white men hate Johnson was not his boxing, but his attitude. Johnson mocked his opponents as he beat them and laughed when they tried to hit him back. This behaviour was not different to many other boxers, but a black man had never behaved in such a way to a white man before. Once, a US sheriff stopped him for speeding and fined him $50. Here's $100, he told the sheriff. I'll be coming back the same way! At this time, a black man could be lynched for just looking at a white woman, but Johnson had many white lovers and used to pose eith them in newspaper photographs, showing his gold teeth. Jack Johnson hoped that Max Schmeling would beat Joe Louis for many reasons and hiss bet was just one os them. He knew that Joe Louis spent his life trying to prove that he was not like Jack Johnson and that offended Jack. But tonight, the entire world would see that Louis was not like Johnson, because he was going to lose this fight. It was time for the fight to being!

Sin embargo, lo que hizo que los hombres blancos tantos odio Johnson no era su boxeo, pero su actitud. Johnson se burl de sus oponentes, como l los derrot y se ri cuando se trat de golpearlo de nuevo. Este comportamiento no es diferente a muchos otros boxeadores, sino un hombre negro nunca se haba comportado de tal manera a un hombre blanco. Una vez, un sheriff EE.UU. lo detuvo por exceso de velocidad y le impuso una multa de $ 50. "Esto es 100 dlares", dijo al sheriff. "Voy a regresar de la misma manera!" En ese momento, un hombre negro podra ser linchado por slo mirar a una mujer blanca, pero Johnson tuvo muchos amantes de blancos y se utiliza para representar eith ellos en fotografas de peridicos, mostrando sus dientes de oro. Jack Johnson espera que Max Schmeling le ganara a Joe Louis por muchas razones y silbidos apuesta era slo una ellas os. Saba que Joe Louis pas su vida tratando de demostrar que l no era como Jack Johnson y Jack ofendido. Pero esta noche, todo el mundo vera que no era como Louis Johnson, porque iba a perder esta lucha. Era hora de que la lucha de ser! CAPITULO 4 The First Match The chancellor always felt most relaxed in his mountain retreat in Berchtesgaden, not far from the Austrian border. It us truly a wonder of modern sciencw, one of his guests commented, that we can hear the New York fight all the way here in Germany. The radio crackled as the two fighters were introduced to thw crowd. A simultaneous translation was provided in German. Everybody in the room was hoping for a Schmeling victory. The chacellor was very talkative that night. He told his guests how he had recently met Schmeling and his wife. She was very charming, he said. I'll send her flowers whether her husband wins or loses. Mr Shmeling seemed quite confident that he could beat the Negro. I hope he wins, but I'm a realist. El primer partido El canciller siempre se sinti ms relajado en su refugio de montaa en Berchtesgaden, no lejos de la frontera con Austria. "Nos verdaderamente una maravilla de sciencw moderna", coment uno de sus invitados, "que podemos escuchar el New York luchar hasta el final aqu en Alemania". La radio crepit como los dos combatientes fueron introducidos a multitud thw. La traduccin simultnea se proporcion en alemn. Todo el mundo en la sala esperaba una victoria de Schmeling. El chacellor era muy locuaz esa noche. Le dijo a sus invitados que se haba reunido recientemente Schmeling y su esposa. "Ella era muy encantador", dijo. "Voy a mandarle flores a su marido si gana o pierde. Sr. Shmeling pareca muy seguro de poder vencer al Negro. Espero que gane, pero soy realista ". You could never have become the chancellor of the Third Reich without realism, my Fhrer, replied the guest. Adolf Hitler smiled and took another sip of his tea. He enjoyed compliments, especially when they were correct, and now he and his guests were ready to listen to the fight. "Nunca podra haberse convertido en el canciller del Tercer Reich sin realismo, mi Fhrer", respondi el invitado. Adolf Hitler sonri y tom otro sorbo de su t. l disfrut de elogios, sobre todo cuando estaban en lo correcto, y ahora l y sus invitados estaban listos para escuchar la pelea. **

It was hot in Harlem, New York, that night of 19th June, 1936. Few Afro-Americans had tickets to see their hero, Joe Louis, fight. But nobody was going to miss the fight, even those families without a radio. More than 200 poor Americans crowded into the local drugastore to share one radio. The night was hot and they drank cold tea and fanned themselves with newspapers. Things began in a similar way to most of Joe Louis' fights. It was relatively quiet, with Joe jabbing at Schmeling and wiinning the first two rounds. That guy knows how to hit! Schmeling said to his trainer, Max Machon. Schmeling tried to wink with his swollen eye. He was optimistic, because he still had a secret plan. Haca calor en Harlem, Nueva York, la noche del 19 de junio de 1936. Muy pocos afro-americanos tenan entradas para ver a su hroe, Joe Louis, lucha. Pero nadie iba a perder la pelea, incluso aquellas familias sin una radio. Ms de 200 estadounidenses pobres hacinados en la drugastore local para compartir una radio. La noche era caliente y bebieron t fro y se abanic con los peridicos. Las cosas comenzaron de una manera similar a la mayora de las peleas de Joe Louis. Era relativamente tranquilo, con Joe golpeando a Schmeling y wiinning las dos primeras rondas. "Ese tipo sabe cmo batear", dijo Schmeling a su entrenador, Max Machon. Schmeling intentado hacer un guio con el ojo hinchado. Se mostr optimista, porque an tena un plan secreto. In the Harlem drugstore, the men smiled with every one of Joe's punches. Young boys punched the air, imagining that they, too, were hitting Max Schmeling. Thenn in the third round things began to change, as Marx revealed his secret. It was a weapon he had told few people about. While everybody had been speaking enthusiastically about the Brown Bomber and calling him indestructible, Max had found some films of Joe's recent fights. He had watched them carefully and slowed the prejector. There it was! He had noticed a weakness in Joe's boxing. Although Joe had an extremely powerful left punch, he often forgot to raise his hand after he had thrown the punch. This would leave him open to a surprise right punch. That was why Max had been in such a hurry to fight Joe. He knew that someone else would eventually notice this weakness in Louis' style and Schmeling wanted to be the first to exploit it. En la farmacia Harlem, los hombres sonrieron con cada uno de los golpes de Joe. Los muchachos puo en el aire, imaginando que ellos tambin estaban golpeando Max Schmeling. Thenn en las cosas de la tercera ronda comenz a cambiar, como Marx revel su secreto. Era un arma que le haba dicho a poca gente. Mientras que todo el mundo haba estado hablando con entusiasmo sobre el Brown Bomber y llamndolo "indestructible", Max haba encontrado algunas pelculas de las ltimas peleas de Joe. Los haba observado cuidadosamente y retras la prejector. All estaba! Haba notado una debilidad en el boxeo de Joe. Aunque Joe tena un puetazo izquierdo muy potente, a menudo olvidaba que levantar la mano despus de haber tirado el golpe. Esto le dejara abrir un puetazo sorpresa. Por eso Max haba tenido tanta prisa por combatir Joe. Saba que algn otro lo dara cuenta esta debilidad en el estilo de Louis y Schmeling quera ser el primero en explotar.

Just as he had planned, Joe threw a punch and Max came back with a sudden powerful rigt. This confused Joe and knocked his head back. The crod roared and Blackburn tried to shout over them, For God's sake, keep your hands up, man! They both knew something was going wrong. In the fourt round, Max continued with his tactic. He threw a fantastic right and Joe almost fell. Afther a second right punch, Joe found himself on the floor for the first time in his professional career. Joe was not used to being there and he got up too quickly. Stay down! shouted Blackburn. Wait for the referee to count to eight. Although Joe recovered well, Schmeling Knew his plan was working. He had done what no other boxer had donde, and now he knew that he could really hurt Louis.

Tal como haba previsto, Joe lanz un puetazo y Max regres con un potente rigt sbita. Esta confusa Joe y se golpe la cabeza hacia atrs. El crod rugi y Blackburn trat de gritar por encima de ellos, "Por el amor de Dios, mantenga sus manos en alto, hombre!" Ambos sabamos que algo iba mal. En la ronda fourt, Max continu con su tctica. Lanz un derecho fantstico y Joe casi se cay. Afther un segundo golpe a la derecha, Joe se encontr en el suelo por primera vez en su carrera profesional. Joe no estaba acostumbrado a estar ah y l se levant demasiado rpido. "Abajo!", Grit Blackburn. "Esperar a que el rbitro cuente hasta ocho." Aunque Joe se recuper bien, Schmeling saba que su plan estaba funcionando. Haba hecho lo que ningn otro boxeador tena dnde son los cantantes, y ahora saba que poda herir Louis.

By the sixth round, Max was in control. Joe kept fighting, throwing punches, but he was losing. His mother did not wish to see her son getting beaten up and she left the stdium. In rounds seven, eight and nine, it seemed that Joe was improving and the kids in the Harlem drugstore cheered again, but many of the old men understood that this was just an illusion. By rounds ten and eleven , Max was beating him again with his right. On the other side of the Atlantic, there was cheering all over Germany as people turned up the volume on their radios. Every time he heard a ounch, the Fhrer hit his own thigh in satisfaction. Joe was showing great ability to survive, but by the twelfth round, it was all over. Max knocked Joe to the floor again and this time he was unable to get up. The Geman jumped in the air in excitement and then went over to his defeated opponent and helped Blackburn drag him back to his corner. Max Schmeling was declared the winner. He was sure he'd be given his chance now against the world champion, Braddock, and that would be the next challenge. In Berlin, Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi Minister of Propaganda, opened a bottle of champagne and poured the first glass for this guest, Congratulations, Frau Schmeling! Your husband has achieved a great victory for Germany. En la sexta ronda, Max estaba en control. Joe sigui luchando, tirando golpes, pero l estaba perdiendo. Su madre no quera ver a su hijo siendo golpeado y ella sali de la stdium. En las rondas siete, ocho y nueve, pareca que Joe estaba mejorando y los nios en la farmacia Harlem aplaudi de nuevo, pero muchos de los viejos entendido que esto era slo una ilusin. Por diez y once rondas, Max se le vuelve a latir con la derecha. En el otro lado del Atlntico, se estaba animando toda Alemania, ya que la gente se subi el volumen de sus radios. Cada vez que oa un ounch, el Fhrer se golpe el muslo propia satisfaccin. Joe estaba mostrando gran habilidad para sobrevivir, sino por la duodcima ronda, todo haba terminado. Max mando a Joe al suelo de nuevo y esta vez no pudo levantarse. El Geman salt en el aire de entusiasmo y luego se acerc a su oponente derrotado y ayud a Blackburn arrastrarlo de vuelta a su esquina. Max Schmeling fue declarado el ganador. Estaba segura de que l le dar su oportunidad ahora contra el campen del mundo, Braddock, y que sera el siguiente desafo. En Berln, Joseph Goebbels, el ministro nazi de Propaganda, abri una botella de champn y se sirvi la primera copa para este invitado, "Felicidades, Schmeling Frau! Su esposo ha logrado una gran victoria para Alemania ".

CAPITULO 5 Between the Matches Langston Hughes was an important black author who saw the fight that night. He wrote, I walked down Seventh Avenue and saw men crying like children, and women sitting with their heads in their hands. When the news came that Joe Louis was knocked out, people across the country cried. Louis was the pride of the black community. Akid at the drugstore cried and said to his father, When he was winning, it was like like we were all winning. We all had a chance. yes, replied his father, but now that he's lost. It's just another Negro getting beaten up by a white man. There are no pictures of Joe after the fight because he didn't allow anyone to photograph him. Joe blamed himself for the loss. He had been too sure of himself and not trained seriously. He knew that he had spent too much time playing golf, his new hobby. Blackburn had warned him that the muscles he used in glof were different to those he needed for boxing, but he hadn't listened. Joe was only was 22 and he felt he had disappointed his people. He had strong shoulders, but the guilt was a heavy burden to carry. Entre los partidos Langston Hughes era un autor importante negro que vio la pelea de la noche. l escribi: "Camin por la sptima avenida y vio a hombres llorando como nios, mujeres y sentado con la cabeza en las manos." Cuando lleg la noticia de que Joe Louis fue noqueado, la gente de todo el pas llor. Louis era el orgullo de la comunidad negro. Akid en la farmacia, dando voces, dijo a su padre: "Cuando l estaba ganando, era como que estbamos todos ganadora. Todos tenamos una oportunidad. " "S", respondi su padre, "pero ahora que se ha perdido. Es slo otro negro siendo golpeado por un hombre blanco. " No hay fotos de Joe despus de la pelea porque l no permiti que nadie le fotografiarlo. Joe se culp por la derrota. Haba estado demasiado seguro de s mismo y no entrenada en serio. Saba que haba pasado demasiado tiempo jugando al golf, su nueva aficin. Blackburn le haba advertido que los msculos que se utilizan en glof eran diferentes de las que necesitaba para el boxeo, pero no lo haba escuchado. Joe fue slo tena 22 aos y senta que haba decepcionado a su pueblo. Tena los hombros fuertes, pero la culpa era una carga pesada de llevar. Schmeling stayed a week in New York and everywhere he went, people patted him on the back and said, "We knew you could do it!" He returned to Germany and was greeted by an adoring crowd. He appeared on the balcony of the Frankfurt Town Hall and gave his fans a Nazi salute something he would later regret. The next day , Max was invited to have lunch with Hitler. He brought the film recording of the fight and he, his wife, his mother and several others joined the Fhrer for a screening. Hitler, who had always loved boxing , ordered it to be shown throughout Germany. Schmeling qued una semana en Nueva York y en todas partes que iba, la gente le dio unas palmaditas en la espalda y dijo: "Saba que podas hacerlo!" Regres a Alemania y fue recibido por una multitud que le adora. l apareci en el balcn del Saln de Frankfurt Ciudad y dio a sus fans un saludo nazi - algo que ms tarde se arrepentira. Al da siguiente, Max fue invitado a almorzar con Hitler. l trajo la grabacin de la pelcula de la pelea y l, su esposa, su madre y varios otros se uni al Fhrer para la proyeccin. Hitler, que siempre le haba gustado el boxeo, orden que se muestra en toda Alemania.

It was called, Max Schmeling's Victory, A German Victory. In the United states, boxing fans heard about the Nazi salute and Max's afternoon with Hitler and their feelings about him began to change. All Joe could think about was another chance against Schmeling, I wanted that return match so much I could taste it. I had been humiliated and i had to prove to everyone that i was the best heavyweight around. Joe felt very guilty about his loss, but he never doubted his abilities. He just wanted to train and then get back in the ring again with Max. Joe's manager, Mike Jacobs, knew that Joe's return fight against Max would not be soon and nobody was going to give him a chance to win the world title, yet. The rules of the game had changed. Jim Braddock was still the champion, but Max Schmeling was suddenly considered to be the world's best boxer. Se llamaba, Victoria Max Schmeling, una victoria alemana. En los Estados Unidos, los fanticos del boxeo se enter del saludo nazi y por la tarde de Max con Hitler y sus sentimientos acerca de l empez a cambiar. Todo Joe poda pensar era en otra oportunidad contra Schmeling, "quera que el retorno coincide con tantas cosas que podra probarlo. Yo haba sido humillado y tuve que demostrar a todos que yo era el mejor peso pesado a su alrededor. "Joe se senta muy culpable por su prdida, pero l nunca dud de sus habilidades. l slo quera entrenar y luego regresar al ring de nuevo con Max. Manager Joe, Mike Jacobs, saba que la lucha contra el regreso de Joe Max no sera pronto y nadie le iba a dar la oportunidad de ganar el ttulo mundial, todava. Las reglas del juego haban cambiado. Jim Braddock sigue siendo el campen, pero Max Schmeling se consider pronto para ser el mejor boxeador del mundo.

Eight weeks after his loss to Schmeling, Joe knew he must make a comeback. His first fight was on 18th August, 1936, against the exworld champion Jack Sharkey. At 34 years old, Sharkey was well past his prime and by the second round he had been on the floor twice. It was all over by the third round and Joe Louis was the winner. After the fight, Sharkey announced that he was going to retire. He was philosophical about his loss. Youth must be served, he said. Louis will find that out. He'll also be 34 some day! Sharkey also predicted that Louis would easily beat Schmeling the next time. Max, who had watched the fight carefully, said that Sharkey had fought stupidly. He also said that he had noticed a few more mistakes in Louis' boxing that he hadn't seen before and insisted that he could beat Joe every time. But everyone understood that Joe and Max weren't going to meet again in the ring until one of them had beaten the heavyweight champion of the world, Jim Braddock, and taken his title. Ocho semanas despus de su derrota ante Schmeling, Joe saba que tena que hacer una reaparicin. Su primera pelea fue el 18 de agosto de 1936, contra el campen Jack Sharkey exworld. A los 34 aos de edad, Sharkey estaba bien pasado su mejor momento y por la segunda ronda que haba estado en el suelo dos veces. Todo haba terminado la tercera ronda y Joe Louis era el ganador. Despus de la pelea, Sharkey anunci que iba a retirarse. l se tom con filosofa su prdida. "La juventud debe ser servido", dijo. "Louis se encuentra que hacia fuera. Tambin habr 34 algn da! "Sharkey tambin predijo que ganara fcilmente Louis Schmeling la prxima vez. Max, que haba visto la pelea con cuidado, Sharkey dijo que haba luchado estpidamente. Tambin dijo que haba notado algunos errores ms en el boxeo Luis que no haba visto antes e insisti en que podra vencer a Joe cada vez. Pero todo el mundo entiende que Joe and Max no iban a reunirse de nuevo en el ring hasta que uno de ellos haba derrotado al campen de peso pesado del mundo,

Jim Braddock, y tomado su ttulo. Braddock was a very popular champion. He was nicknamed the Ciderella Man after he had shocked the world and defeated Max Baer fot the heavyweight title against all odds. But he was already in his thirties and at the end of his career. Both Braddock and his trainers knew that this would probably be his last big fight and his final opportunity to make some money for his retirement. Braddock didn't care if he fought Joe or Max he would fight the one who could bring the most money. In that case, Schmeling was the natural challenger, but Mike Jacobs, Joe's manager, had a few weapons to persuade Braddock to fight Louis instead. Braddock fue un campen muy popular. Lo apodaron "el hombre Ciderella" despus de haber conmocionado al mundo y derrotado Max Baer fot el ttulo de peso pesado contra viento y marea. Pero ya estaba en la treintena y al final de su carrera. Tanto Braddock y sus entrenadores saban que esta sera probablemente su ltima pelea grande y su ltima oportunidad de hacer algo de dinero para su jubilacin. Braddock no le importaba si l luch Joe o Max - que luchara el que poda traer la mayor cantidad de dinero. En ese caso, Schmeling fue el rival natural, pero Mike Jacobs, gerente de Joe, tena pocas armas para persuadir a Braddock Louis a luchar en su lugar. CAPITULO 6 Joe Louis Fights Jim Braddock Jacobs' first weapon was the anti-German feeling that was growing in the US day by day. He told everyone that if Schmeling won the fight, he would take his World Championships belt back to Germany and never give another fighter a chance to win it. In addition, he warned Braddock's manager that many anti-German boxing fans would stay away from a Braddock-Schmeling match and so they would make less money at the gate. It was usual for a boxer's pay to be a percentage of the money earned selling tickets. Jacobs' second weapon was cash. He was sure that he could raise more than the Germans, and was able to guarantee Braddock $250,000, regardless of how to the $31,ooo that he had won for beating Baer. He later claimed that Schemeling had offered to guarantee him only $25,000. Then, Jacobs used his third weapon. He would pay Braddock ten per cent of all Joe's winnings for the next ten years. This was irresistible. The contract was signed, and it was announced that on 22nd June, 1937 the Cinderella Man would meet the Brown Bomber. Joe Louis Luchas Jim Braddock Primera arma de Jacobs era el sentimiento anti-alemn que estaba creciendo en EE.UU. el da a da. Le dijo a todos que si Schmeling gan la lucha, l tomara su Campeonato Mundial cinturn de vuelta a Alemania y nunca dar otro luchador oportunidad de ganar. Adems, advirti gerente de Braddock que muchos anti-alemanes fanticos del boxeo que se mantenga alejado de un partido de Braddock-Schmeling y as haran menos dinero en la puerta. Era usual para la paga de un boxeador a ser un porcentaje del dinero que ganaba vendiendo boletos. Segunda arma de Jacobs fue efectivo. Estaba seguro de que podra recaudar ms de los alemanes, y fue capaz de garantizar Braddock $ 250.000, con independencia de la forma de los $ 31, ooo que haba ganado por golpear Baer. l demand ms adelante que Schemeling haba ofrecido a garantizar slo $ 25.000. Entonces, Jacobs us su arma tercero. l pagara Braddock diez por ciento de las ganancias de todas las de Joe para los prximos diez aos. Esto era irresistible.

El contrato fue firmado, y se anunci que el 22 de junio de 1937 el Hombre Cenicienta se reunira el Bombardero Brown.

Schemeling was furous and felt he had been tricked out of his title. He flew to the United States immediately, determined to fight Jim Braddock instead of Joe Louis. But first, he knew that he would have to get the New York Boxing Commission on his side. After the first fight between Schemeling and Louis, the Commission had officially announced that Braddock would fight Schemeling, so Max knew they preferred him yo Louis. Max began to train hard for his fight with Braddock. He told everybody that he, not Louis, would fight Braddock and that he would be the next champion. As he had predicted, the Commission sympathised with Schemeling and told him that they would not permit the Louis-Braddock fight to take place in the New York. They even agreed to fine Joe for ignoring their decision, but none of this would stop Joe. The fight was moved to Chicago, where the Commission had no control. On the night of 22nd June, 1937, more than 45,000 people waited anxiously to see the fight between Braddock and Louis. Schemeling era furous y sinti que haba sido engaado por su ttulo. Viaj a los Estados Unidos inmediatamente, decidido a luchar Jim Braddock en lugar de Joe Louis. Pero primero, saba que tendra que llegar de Nueva York Comisin de Boxeo de su lado. Despus de la primera pelea entre Schemeling y Louis, la Comisin haba anunciado oficialmente que Braddock luchara Schemeling, por lo que Max saba que prefera que yo Louis. Max comenz a entrenar duro para su pelea con Braddock. Le dijo a todos que l, no Louis, luchara Braddock y que iba a ser el prximo campen. Tal como haba predicho, la Comisin simpatiza con Schemeling y le dijo que no iban a permitir que la lucha Louis-Braddock que tendr lugar en Nueva York. Incluso se acord bien Joe por ignorar su decisin, pero nada de esto sera dejar de Joe. La pelea se traslad a Chicago, donde la Comisin no tena control. En la noche del 22 de junio de 1937, ms de 45.000 personas esperaban ansiosamente para ver la pelea entre Braddock y Louis.

** Normally, the Challenger enters the ring and waits for the champion, but Braddock decided to enter first. He had won his title back in 1935, but his manager had make him wait two years for a truly lucrative fight. He looked fit and in excellent shape; it was clear that he had come to fight and to win. Now, Joe entered the ring. He had been training hard and listening to everything his trainer had told him. This is it, Joe! he shouted over the noisy crowd. You come back a champion tonight! Both men began the fight well. They loocked evenly matched and exchanged punches. Then, in the second round, Braddock knocked Joe Louis to the floor. Joe had ten seconds to get up and should have waited for the eighth or ninth second, but he got up immediately. At the end of the round, Blackburn was furious. He knew that many arrogant fighters had got uo too early before their heads had cleared and had been knocked out. Joe was lucky, but Blackburn felt that he had taken an unnecessary risk. Normalmente, el Challenger entra al ring y espera a que el campen, pero Braddock decidi entrar primero. Haba ganado su ttulo de nuevo en 1935, pero su gerente haba hacerle esperar dos aos para una pelea verdaderamente lucrativo. Se vea en forma y en excelentes condiciones, era claro que haba venido a luchar y ganar.

Ahora, Joe entr en el ring. Haba estado entrenando duro y escuchar todo lo que su entrenador le haba dicho. "Esto es, Joe!", Grit a la multitud ruidosa. "Vuelve esta noche un campen!" Los dos hombres comenzaron la lucha tambin. Ellos loocked golpes parejos e intercambiados. Luego, en la segunda ronda, Braddock Joe Louis noque al suelo. Joe tena diez segundos para levantarse y debera haber esperado para el segundo octavo o noveno, pero se levant de inmediato. Al final de la ronda, Blackburn se puso furioso. Saba que muchos combatientes arrogantes haba conseguido uo demasiado pronto antes de que sus cabezas se haba despejado y haba sido noqueado. Joe tuvo suerte, pero Blackburn sinti que haba tomado un riesgo innecesario. In the next round, Louis improved. He was throwing many more powerful punches and his opponent was hurt. Joe looked at Blackburn. He wanted to know whether he should finish him off. Wait, wait! shouted Blackburn. Braddock is still able to fight. Wait, I'll tell tou when to finish him! Blackburn was right, Braddock wasn't going to give away his title without a fight, but as the rounds passed he grew more tired and weak. Blackburn had taught Joe to took at his opponent's hands. When he held them lower, it was a sign that he was exhausted. By the eighth round, Braddock could hardly lift his gloves, and Joe threw a terrifying overhead right. Braddock was on the floor and 45,000 people knew he would not make the count. There was a roar as it was announced that the new heavyweight champion of the world was Joe Louis. Joe smiled as he put on his belt. But in his heart, he knew that he'd never really feel like a champion until he defeated Max Schemeling and that would be an entirely different fight. 45,000 people knew Braddock would not make the count En la siguiente ronda, Louis mejorado. Estaba lanzando muchos golpes ms poderosos y su oponente herido. Joe mir a Blackburn. Quera saber si debe "acabar con l". "Espera, espera!", Grit Blackburn. "Braddock es todava capaz de luchar. Espera, voy a decir cuando tou para acabar con l! " Blackburn tena razn, Braddock no iba a regalar su ttulo sin luchar, pero a medida que las rondas pasado creci ms cansado y dbil. Blackburn haba enseado a Joe tom en las manos de su oponente. Cuando l los mantuvo bajo, que era una seal de que estaba agotado. En la octava ronda, Braddock apenas poda levantar los guantes, y Joe ech una sobrecarga aterrador derecha. Braddock estaba en el piso y 45.000 personas saba que no hara el recuento. Hubo un rugido como se anunci que el nuevo campen mundial de peso pesado Joe Louis era. Joe sonri mientras se pona el cinturn. Pero en su corazn, saba que l nunca haba siento como un campen hasta que derrot a Max Schemeling y que sera una pelea muy diferente. 45.000 personas Braddock no saba hacer el recuento

Capitulo 7 Build-up to the Second Fight As the world prepared for war, Joe Louis and Max Schemeling prepared to do batlle for the second time. They would return to Yankee Stadium, New York, on 22nd June, 1938. Joe's plan was to show the world that he was the legitimate world champion, while Max intended to show that his first defeat of Joe Louis had not beem just luck. Louis and Schemeling were no longer seen as just two talented boxers. Louis was seen more and more as the representative of democracy and freedom, while Schemeling represented fascism and Nazism. Their fight was no longer viewed as just a boxing match, but a war between opposing ideologies.

La acumulacin de la segunda pelea Mientras el mundo se prepara para la guerra, Joe Louis y Max Schemeling preparado para hacer batlle por segunda vez. Volveran a Yankee Stadium, Nueva York, el 22 de junio de 1938. Plan de Joe era para mostrar al mundo que l era el legtimo campen del mundo, mientras que Max pretende demostrar que su primera derrota de Joe Louis no haba Beem suerte. Louis y Schemeling ya no se ve como apenas dos boxeadores talentosos. Louis fue visto cada vez ms como el representante de la democracia y la libertad, mientras que Schemeling fascismo y el nazismo representaba. Su lucha ya no era visto como un combate de boxeo, sino una guerra entre ideologas opuestas.

In order to warm up for the bigbatlle, both boxers fought and won two low-profile matches in the early months of 1938. For Joe, who was used to fighting every few months, this was no problem and he easily knocked out Nathan Mann and Haryy Thomas in less than seven rounds betweenn them. Because Schemeling had been inactive for quite a long time, Louis' manager, Mike Jacobs insisted that he should also fight twice to put his name in the newspapers and show sports fans that he was a worthy contender. Schemeling beat both Ben Ford and Steve Dudas very impressively. German newspapers wrote that at 32 he was the living proof of the German superman. There were romours that Max had joined the Nazi party and that he was a member of the Gestapo. Many said that if he won the world Championship belt, he would give it to Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi Minister of Propaganda, or to Adolf Hitler himself and it would never leave Germany again. The truth is that Max never joined the Nazi Party and refused to become a Gestapo officer. He still had many Jewish friends whom he tried ti help when he could. But whether he wanted it or not, Max had been adopted by Hitler and Nazism as a symbol of the ideal German. Con el fin de calentar para el "bigbatlle", ambos boxeadores pelearon y gan dos partidos de bajo perfil en los primeros meses de 1938. Para Joe, que estaba acostumbrado a luchar cada pocos meses, esto no era un problema y que fcilmente eliminado Nathan Thomas Mann y Haryy en menos de siete rondas betweenn ellos. Porque Schemeling haba estado inactivo por un tiempo bastante largo, gerente de Louis, Mike Jacobs insisti en que tambin debe luchar dos veces para poner su nombre en los peridicos y mostrar los amantes del deporte que l era un contendiente digno. Schemeling venci a Ben Ford y Steve Dudas muy impresionante. Peridicos alemanes que escribi a los 32 aos era "la prueba viviente de la alemana superman". Haba romours que Max se haban unido al partido nazi y que l era un miembro de la Gestapo. Muchos dijeron que si ganaba el cinturn de campen mundial, se la dara a Joseph Goebbels, ministro de Propaganda nazi, Adolf Hitler o para s mismo y que nunca dejara a Alemania de nuevo. La verdad es que Max nunca se uni al Partido Nazi y se neg a convertirse en un oficial de la Gestapo. Todava tena muchos amigos judos a los que intentaron ayudar a ti cuando poda. Pero si lo quera o no, Max haba sido adoptada por Hitler y el nazismo como un smbolo de la "German ideal".

Joe Louis, on the other hand, was a symbol of democracy and freedom fighting against the bigotry and prejudice of facism.

American president Franklin Roosevelt visited him during one of his training sessions. Roosevelt felt Joe's muscles and said, Joe, we need muscles like yours to beat Germany. That was how most people around the world felt. Nazi Germany looked so terrible and unstoppable that if Joe could stop Max, maybe Hitler could be stopped, too. Joe Louis, en cambio, era un smbolo de la democracia y la libertad luchando contra la intolerancia y los prejuicios de fascismo. El presidente estadounidense Franklin Roosevelt lo visit durante una de sus sesiones de entrenamiento. Roosevelt senta los msculos de Joe y le dijo: "Joe, necesitamos msculos como los tuyos para vencer a Alemania". As fue como la mayora de personas en todo el mundo se senta. Alemania nazi pareca tan terrible e imparable que si Joe poda dejar de Max, tal vez Hitler poda ser detenido, tambin.

Max was not a facist, but he spoke foolishly to journalists after he arrived in New York and said things about Joe Louis that he would later regret. When asked if he would knock Joe Louis out again, Max smiled and said, I didn't make this trip for fun! then he explained that Joe would always be afraid of him because of his race. Joe heard this comment and was furious. When they finally met to sign the contracts for the match, nobody was smiling and it was the first time that Joe had felt real hatred towars an opponent. I am afraid, Joe said, I'm afraid I might kill him. Joe's trainers decided to after Joe's strategy for this mtch. They had taught Joe to box carfully and slowly in order to take advantage of his strength and skill, and to tire out his opponent. But this time, Louis was going was going to start quickly without giving Max a chance to think. The plan was to win in the first two or three rounds. Both boxers and their managers were making a lot of money long before the day of the fight. All around the world, their battle was advertised as the Fight of the Century and thousands of fans paid a dollar each, just to watch them train. In the United States, anti-German feeling was running high. A few days before the fight, 18 members of a Nazi spy ring were arrested and on that same day the newspapers reported that Schemeling had received a telegram saying: To the next World Champion, Max Schemeling. Wishing you every success, Adolf Hitler. Max no era un fascista, pero hablaba tontamente a los periodistas despus de llegar a Nueva York y me dijo cosas sobre Joe Louis que ms tarde se arrepentira. Cuando se le pregunt si iba a golpear de nuevo Joe Louis, Max sonri y dijo: "Yo no hice este viaje para la diversin!" Y luego explic que Joe siempre tendra miedo de l a causa de su raza. Joe oy este comentario y se puso furioso. Cuando por fin se reunieron para firmar los contratos para el partido, nadie sonrea y era la primera vez que Joe se haba sentido towars reales odio a un oponente. "Tengo miedo", dijo Joe, "Me temo que lo mataran". Formadores de Joe decidi despus de estrategia de Joe como esta MTCH. Ellos haban enseado a Joe caja carfully y poco a poco con el fin de aprovechar su fuerza y habilidad, y para cansar a su oponente. Pero esta vez, Louis iba iba a empezar rpidamente sin dar Max la oportunidad de pensar. El plan era ganar en las dos o tres primeras rondas. Ambos boxeadores y sus gerentes estaban haciendo un montn de dinero mucho antes del da de la pelea. En todo el mundo, la batalla se anuncia como la "Pelea del Siglo" y miles de fans pagaron un dlar cada uno, slo para ver los trenes. En los Estados Unidos, anti-alemn sensacin era muy alto. Unos das antes de la pelea, 18 miembros de una "red de espionaje nazi" fueron detenidos y ese mismo da los peridicos informaron que Schemeling haba recibido un telegrama que deca:

Para el prximo campen del mundo, Max Schemeling. Le deseamos todo el xito, Adolf Hitler.

Both fighters were sure of victory, Schemeling predicted that he would win by another knockout. Louis spoke to the American people and the world by radio, Tonight, I'm not only fighting to get revenge for the only loss of my career, I'm fighting for America against Max Schemeling, a German invader. This isn't just one boxer against another, or Joe Louis against Max Schemeling it's the good old USA versus Germany. Joe knew this was the most important fight of his life and that it would be followed by millions of people around the world. He had trained exactly as he had been told and now, there was nothing left to do. He entered Yankee Stadium two hours before the fight. Rather than sit around and get nervous, the Brown Bomber went to sleep. At nine o'clock, Blackburn woke the champion up and began to prepare him for the fight. He wrapped Joe's hands with bandages and then put on his gloves. Ambos peleadores estaban seguros de la victoria, Schemeling predijo que ganara por nocaut otro. Louis habl al pueblo estadounidense y al mundo por radio, "Esta noche, estoy luchando no slo para obtener venganza por la nica derrota de mi carrera, estoy luchando para Amrica contra Max Schemeling, un invasor alemn. Esto no es slo un boxeador contra otro o contra Joe Louis Schemeling Max - es el buen viejo EE.UU. frente a Alemania ". Joe saba que esta era la pelea ms importante de su vida y que sera seguida por millones de personas en todo el mundo. Se haba formado exactamente como le haban dicho, y ahora, no haba nada ms que hacer. Entr en Yankee Stadium dos horas antes de la pelea. En lugar de sentarse y ponerse nervioso, el Bombardero Brown fue a dormir. A las nueve en punto, Blackburn despert el campen y comenz a prepararse para la lucha. Se envolvi las manos de Joe con vendas y luego se puso los guantes.

Blackburn began to prepare Louis for the fight. Blackburn comenz a prepararse para la lucha Louis. Louis reminded his trainer that his plan was to ein in the first three rounds. if I don't knock Schemeling out in three rounds, you had better come and get me, because after that I'll be finished, he said. But Blackburn reassured him, It's alright, Joe, he said. you can fight 15 rounds. Louis record a su entrenador que su plan era ein en las primeras tres rondas. "Si no me llamo Schemeling a cabo en tres rondas, es mejor que venga a buscarme, porque despus de eso voy a estar terminado", dijo. Pero Blackburn le asegur: "Est bien, Joe," dijo. "Se puede combatir 15 rounds". Capitulo 8 The Fight of the Century In Max's changing room, he felt lonelier than he had ever felt in his life. This trip had been very different from the first time that he had fought Joe. From the moment he had got off the ship in New York Harbor, strangers had insulted him. Men made exaggerated Hitler salutes, threw things at him and told him to go back to his Nazi friends in Germany. He tried to explain that he was not a Nazi and that his manager, Joe Jacobs, was Jewish. I am a fighter, not a politician, he said. I am no

superman in any away. But nobody was listening. Many of Max's American friends suggested that he should stay in the Us and take Amercan citizenship. Max knew that this might maike life easier for him, but he did not take their advice. He wasn't a Nazi, but he was a patriotic German. Once a German always a German, he said. There was another reason why Max knew that whether he won or lost against Joe Louis, he would have to return to Germany, and that was his wife. La "Pelea del Siglo" En vestuario de Max, que se senta ms solo que nunca haba sentido en su vida. Este viaje ha sido muy diferente a la primera vez que l haba luchado Joe. Desde el momento en que haba bajado del barco en puerto de Nueva York, los extraos le haba insultado. Los hombres hicieron exagerado saludo a Hitler, tiraba cosas a l y le dijo que fuera de nuevo a sus amigos nazis en Alemania. Trat de explicar que l no era un nazi y que su manager, Joe Jacobs, era judo. "Soy un luchador, no un poltico", dijo. "No soy un superman de ninguna forma." Pero nadie escuchaba. Muchos de los amigos americanos de Max sugiri que se quedara en la empresa y tomar Amercan ciudadana. Max saba que esto podra Maike la vida ms fcil para l, pero l no tom su consejo. l no era un nazi, pero l era un patriota alemn. "Una vez que un alemn siempre un alemn", dijo. Haba otra razn por la que Max saba que si gan o perdi contra Joe Louis, que tendra que regresar a Alemania, y que era su esposa.

Goebbels had made sure that Mr and Mrs Schemeling never left Germany at the same time. In 1933, Max had married the beautiful, blonde film star, Anny Ondra, and the two had become Germany's most glamorous couple. Everybody wass very polite to Mrs Schemeling, but Max had no idea what might happen was really safe in Nazi Germany. It was time to move into the ring. Max entered the arena and had to put a towel over his head to protect himself from the banana peels, cigarette packets and paper cups that were thrown at him. It was not a good feeling. Goebbels se haba asegurado de que nunca el seor y la seora Schemeling sali de Alemania al mismo tiempo. En 1933, Max se haba casado con la bella estrella, pelcula rubia, Anny Ondra, y los dos se haba convertido en la pareja ms glamorosa de Alemania. Todo el mundo wass muy amable con la seora Schemeling, pero Max no tena idea de lo que puede pasar realmente seguro en la Alemania nazi. Era el momento de entrar en el ring. Max entr en la arena y tuvo que poner una toalla sobre la cabeza para protegerse de las cscaras de pltano, los paquetes de cigarrillos y vasos de papel que fueron lanzadas contra l. No fue una buena sensacin. Seventy million radio listeners around the world heard the voice of commentator Clem McCarthy. This is the greatestight of our generation, he declared. He introfuced three ex-champions who were sitting in the audience and then the two fighters. The crowd of 70,000 cheered. Ticket prices were more expensive than they had ever been and extra rows of seats had been added in the stadium for the crowds of spectators. In Germany, millions listened to Arno Hellmis, who would describe tha fight over the radio. It was time for the match to begin. Setenta millones de oyentes de radio de todo el mundo escuch la voz del comentarista Clem

McCarthy. "Este es el greatestight de nuestra generacin", declar. l introfuced tres ex-campeones que estaban sentados en la audiencia y luego los dos combatientes. La multitud de 70.000 personas vitorearon. Precio de las entradas eran ms caros de lo que haba estado nunca y ms filas de asientos se ha aadido en el estadio para la multitud de espectadores. En Alemania, millones escuchado Hellmis Arno, que describira Tha lucha por la radio. Ya era hora de que el partido comience. The bell rang for the beginning of round one and the two boxers walked quickly to meet each other in the centre. Both men began by circling each other for a few seconds, Max took two steps back and Joe followed him and threw a couple of left jabs. Then, he hit Max with a left hook. Schemeling stepped back to the ropes. It was so early in the fight and Joe was already throwing everything he had at him with lefts and rights. Although he was being hit badly, Max instinctively knew that he had to get away from the ropes if he wanted to survive the first round. With all his strength, he managed to push himself back to the centre of the ring. Louis jabbed an quicly pulled his left hand back. Both he and Blackburn had learned a lesson from the last fight and Joe didn't want to be hit again by Max's powerful right punch, but Max just jabbed weakly. Louis jabbed again and again, and then threw a hard right to Schemeling's face. Max moved closer to Joe, but Joe pushed him away and then, like an animal that had found its prey, followed him onto the ropes. Max opened his mouth and, for the first time, there was fear in his eyes. He tried to protec his face, but Joe seemed to be able to hit him wherever he wanted. From Schemeling's corner, his trainer shouted, Move, Max, move! Only a minute had passed, but Max was already hurt. La campana son para el comienzo de la primera ronda y los dos boxeadores se dirigi rpidamente al encontrarse en el centro. Los dos hombres comenzaron marcando con un crculo el uno al otro durante unos segundos, Max dio dos pasos hacia atrs y Joe le sigui y le tir un par de jabs de izquierda. Entonces, se le ocurri a Max con un gancho de izquierda. Schemeling retrocedi a las cuerdas. Era tan temprano en la pelea y Joe ya estaba tirando todo lo que tena en l con izquierdas y derechas. A pesar de que estaba muy afectada, Max instintivamente saba que tena que salir de las cuerdas si quera sobrevivir a la primera ronda. Con todas sus fuerzas, se las arregl para empujar de nuevo al centro del ring. Louis pinch un quicly sac su espalda la mano izquierda. Tanto l como el Blackburn haba aprendido una leccin de la ltima pelea y Joe no quera ser golpeado de nuevo por el poderoso puo derecho de Max, pero Max slo seal con voz dbil. Louis clav una y otra vez, y luego lanz un derechazo a la cara de Schemeling. Max se acerc a Joe, pero Joe lo empuj y luego, como un animal que haba encontrado a su presa, le siguieron en las cuerdas. Max abri la boca y, por primera vez, no haba miedo en sus ojos. Trat de Protec la cara, pero Joe pareca ser capaz de pegarle donde quisiera. Desde la esquina Schemeling, su entrenador grit: "Move, Max, muvete!" Slo haba pasado un minuto, pero Max ya estaba herido. Capitulo 9 The Best Boxer Alive The author Ernest Hemingway was among the spectators that night and he wrote, The Negro swung at him as though he were a big punching bag. Schemeling cried out in pain and it seemed that the whole stadium heard him. Joe was pleased. I was glad he was hurt. That was what I wanted, he said, later. When i heard him cry out in pain, I thought about his super race. Max abasorbed 41 punches, but threw only two. Joe knocked him down three times, but the third time he could not get up. The referee the fight only two minutes and four seconds after it began.

Hellmis, the German commentator, didn't know what to say and appeared to be crying. When Nazi Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels realised that Max was losing, he tried to stop the broadcast, but it was too late everyone knew the truth Joe Louis was still the champion and Max Schemeling had been defeated. El mejor boxeador Alive El autor Ernest Hemingway fue uno de los espectadores esa noche y escribi, "El negro volvi hacia l como si fuera un saco de boxeo grande". Schemeling grit de dolor y pareca que todo el estadio le oy. Joe estaba contento. "Me alegr de que estaba herido. Eso era lo que yo quera ", dijo ms tarde. "Cuando lo o gritar de dolor, pensaba en su carrera super." Max abasorbed 41 golpes, pero lanz slo dos. Joe lo derrib tres veces, pero la tercera vez que no poda levantarse. El rbitro de la lucha slo dos minutos y cuatro segundos despus de que comenzara. Hellmis, el comentarista alemn, no saba qu decir y pareca estar llorando. Cuando el ministro nazi de Propaganda Joseph Goebbels se dio cuenta de que Max estaba perdiendo, trat de detener la transmisin, pero ya era demasiado tarde - todo el mundo saba la verdad - Joe Louis segua siendo el campen y Schemeling Max haba sido vencido.

Anny Schemeling hadn't listened to the fight this time, but Hellmis didn't know this and he told her over the air that her husband was fine and had no scars. This was a lie. Max never really recovered from Goebbels, persuaded him to complain that one of Joe's punches had been illegal. Max did this unhappily, but later showed good sportsmanship by saying that Joe had not made excuses when he had lost their first fight, and if ine of Joe's punches ha landed in the wrong place, it was his own fault. As soon as Max began to feel better, he withdrew the complaint against Joe. In a 1975 interview, Schemeling remembered the defeat, Looking back, I'm almost happy I lost that fight. Just imagine if I had come back to Germany with a victory. I didn't associate with the Nazis, but they would have given me a medal. After the war, I might have been considered a war criminal. In the United States, the same newspapers that had mocked Joe after his first against Max could not find the words to praise the Brown Bomber now. Joe was often the subject of journalists' bigotry even as they applauded him. Very often, instead of praising his skill and technique in the boxing ring, they claimed that Joe Louis fought on animal instincts, like a lion or a tiger, and often compared him to the primitive savages of the jungle. Anny Schemeling no haba escuchado la pelea esta vez, pero Hellmis no saba esto y l le dijo a travs del aire que su marido estaba bien y no tena cicatrices. Esta fue una mentira. Max nunca se recuper de Goebbels, lo convenci para que se quejan de que uno de los golpes de Joe haba sido ilegal. Max hizo esto con tristeza, pero despus mostr un buen espritu deportivo diciendo que Joe no haba excusas cuando perdi su primera pelea, y si ine de golpes de Joe ha aterrizado en el lugar equivocado, era su propia culpa. Tan pronto como Max empez a sentirse mejor, se retir la denuncia contra Joe. En una entrevista de 1975, Schemeling record la derrota, "Mirando hacia atrs, yo soy casi feliz perd esa pelea. Imagnense si yo hubiera regresado a Alemania con una victoria. No asociar con los nazis, pero ellos me habran dado una medalla. Despus de la guerra, podra haber sido considerado un criminal de guerra. " En los Estados Unidos, los mismos peridicos que se haba burlado de Joe despus de su primera contra Max no poda encontrar las palabras para alabar el Brown Bomber ahora. Joe era a menudo el tema de la intolerancia de los periodistas, incluso a medida que lo aplaudieron. Muy a menudo, en lugar de alabar su habilidad y tcnica en el ring de boxeo, alegaron que Joe Louis pele en los instintos animales, como un len o un tigre, y con frecuencia lo compar con los salvajes primitivos de la selva.

However, nobody could deny that Joe was the greatest boxer alive and many even considered him the best boxer ever. Newspapers published articles asking whether Jack Johnson in his prime could hve leasted against Joe. The most famous article of that time predicted taht Joe would last years as world champion. It concluded that perhaps one day in the future, another boxer might defeat Joe, but there would never be a man who could defeat the Joe Louis that bad beaten Max Schemeling on that night of 22nd June, 1938. But Joe was more than a sportsman. More than any black lawyer, politician or writer, Joe was seen as being a representative, perphas even a leader, of Black America. At a time when blacks were discriminated against, he gave them hope that anybody could succed and they believed in him. He was their black Superman. Sin embargo, nadie puede negar que Joe era el mejor boxeador vivo y muchos incluso lo consideraban el mejor boxeador nunca. Los peridicos publicaron artculos preguntar si Jack Johnson en su mejor momento podra HVE leasted contra Joe. El artculo ms famoso de ese tiempo predicho taht Joe durara aos como campen del mundo. Lleg a la conclusin de que tal vez algn da en el futuro, otro boxeador puede derrotar a Joe, pero nunca sera un hombre capaz de derrotar al mal que Joe Louis Schemeling Max golpeado en esa noche del 22 de junio de 1938. Pero Joe era ms que un deportista. Ms que cualquier otro abogado negro poltico o escritor, Joe fue visto como un representante, perphas incluso un lder, Negro de Amrica. En una poca en que los negros eran discriminados, se les dio la esperanza de que alguien pudiera succed y creyeron en l. l era su negro Superman.

Many years later, the Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Junior told a story about a black American boy who was the first prisoner to be executed by poison gas, instead of hanging. Psychologists placed a microphone in his gas chamber so that they could hear his last words. As he breathed his final breath and the poison entered his lungs he didn't cry for his mother or pray to God. In his last moment of life, he cried out, Save me, Joe Louis! Save me, Joe Louis! Save me! Muchos aos ms tarde, el reverendo Dr. Martin Luther King Junior cont una historia sobre un chico negro americano que fue el primer preso ejecutado por gas venenoso, en vez de colgar. Los psiclogos coloca un micrfono en la cmara de gas para que pudieran escuchar sus ltimas palabras. Como l respir su ltimo aliento y el veneno entr en sus pulmones no llor por su madre u orar a Dios. En su ltimo momento de vida, grit: "Slvame, Joe Louis! Slvame, Joe Louis! Slvame! " Joe Louis was now the most popular sports figure in the USA, not only among blacks, but among white Americans, too Newspapers had cartoons of Adolf Hitler hiding from the Brown Bomber and of a beaten-up Schemeling with swastikas returning to Germany. More newspapers articles and books were written about Joe Louis than any other black man in the history of the USA anything with his picture, or even just the words JOE LOUIS written on it, sold. Joe Louis era ahora la figura del deporte ms popular en los EE.UU., no slo entre los negros, pero entre los estadounidenses blancos, demasiado peridicos tuvieron caricaturas de Adolf Hitler escondido desde el bombardero de Brown y de un Schemeling destartalado con esvsticas que regresan a Alemania. Ms artculos de peridicos y libros fueron escritos sobre Joe Louis que cualquier otro hombre negro en la historia de los EE.UU., con todo su cuadro, o incluso las palabras

de Joe Louis escritos en ella, que se vende. Now, Joe was making a lot of money, but as usual he was spending it just as fast. His manager, Mike Jacobs, knew that the war was coming and that he had to make as much profit as he could from Joe before the army called him up. He announced that Joe would defend his title, not once in two years as previous champions had done, but four times a year! This became a period that newspapers called the Burn of the Month time when boxer after boxer would have to fight Joe in the ring. He beat most of them easily, but Joe did not like his opponents being referred to as bums. He respected them all and knew that, like him, they were the best boxers alive at the time he was just better. Ahora, Joe estaba haciendo un montn de dinero, pero como siempre lo estaba pasando tan rpido. Su manager, Mike Jacobs, saba que la guerra que se avecinaba y que tena que obtener beneficios tanto como pudo de Joe antes de que el Ejrcito lo llam. Anunci que Joe defendera su ttulo, ni una sola vez en dos aos como campeones anteriores haban hecho, pero cuatro veces al ao! Esto se convirti en un perodo en que los peridicos llaman el "Burn of the Month" momento en el boxeador boxeador despus tendra que luchar Joe en el ring. Venci a la mayora de ellos con facilidad, pero Joe no le gustan sus oponentes se conoce como "vagos". l respetaba a todos y saba que, como l, fueron los mejores boxeadores vivos en el momento - era simplemente mejor. Capitulo 10 Max and Joe Go to War Back in Germany, the defeated Max Schemeling received a less enthusiastic welcome than after the previus fight and he knew he now had enemies in the Nazi Party. They were angry that he had refused to fire his jewish manager and also that he had kept his jewish friends and tried to help them. Now that he was hurt and beaten, his enemies would remember everything. The German Minister of Sport, Hans von Tschammer und Osten, had a long name and an even longer memory. He remembered his meeting with Max back in 1934, when he had asked him to box more often in Germany and to fire his Jewish manager. At that time, Max had felt invincible and explained to the Nazi that when he boxed in the US, he was representing Germany. Regarding his manager, Joe Jacobs, he smiled and answered that he would stay with him because loyalty is a German virtue. Von Tschammer was not amused, but what could he do at that time? He knew that Schemeling was still untouchable. Max y Joe van a la guerra De regreso en Alemania, el derrotado Max Schemeling recibi una bienvenida menos entusiasta que despus de la pelea previus y saba que ahora tena enemigos dentro del Partido Nazi. Estaban enojados porque se haba negado a despedir a su director judo y tambin que l haba mantenido sus amigos judos y trat de ayudarlos. Ahora que l estaba herido y golpeado, sus enemigos lo recordara todo. El ministro alemn de Deportes, Hans von Osten und Tschammer, tena un nombre largo y un recuerdo an ms. Record su encuentro con Max de nuevo en 1934, cuando l le haba pedido a la caja con ms frecuencia en Alemania y despedir a su jefe judo. En ese momento, Max se haba sentido invencible y explic a los nazis que cuando boxeaba en los EE.UU., lo que representa Alemania. En cuanto a su manager, Joe Jacobs, sonri y respondi que se quedara con l porque "la lealtad es una virtud alemana". Von Tschammer no era divertido, pero qu poda hacer en ese momento? Saba que Schemeling segua intocable. By 1940, however, things had changed and Max was shocked when he was ordered to report to the local army headquarters. Generally, celebrities were exempt from army service and Max was 35 years old, which was beyond the draft age. With Hitler's approval, Von Tschammer had arranged

for an exception to be made. He wanted to make Max duffer now. Nobody listened when Max showed the doctor his sport's injuries. He was sent to a parachute regiment together with men who could aimost have been his sons. Para 1940, sin embargo, las cosas haban cambiado y Max se sorprendi cuando se le orden presentarse a la sede local del ejrcito. En general, las celebridades estaban exentos del servicio militar y Max tena 35 aos, que estaba ms all de la edad de reclutamiento. Con la aprobacin de Hitler, Von Tschammer haba arreglado una excepcin a realizar. Quera que Max zoquete ahora. Nadie escuch cuando Max mostr al mdico las lesiones de su deporte. Fue enviado a un regimiento de paracaidistas junto con los hombres que aimost podran haber sido sus hijos. In 1941, Max's unit was ordered to parachute into Greece to attack the British forces there. On 30th May, The Times and many other Western newspapers reported MAX SCHEMELING KILLED IN CRETE. Another newspapers said that Max had been slightly that Max had tried to escape, but he was shot and killed. The next day, The times corrected their story and said that Max was actually alive, in German hands, and although he was ill, he was getting better. Surprisingly, when Joe Louis heard the news, he said, Schmeling said some bad things about me and my people, but I'm really glad he's not dead. En 1941, la unidad de Max recibi la orden de lanzarse en paracadas sobre Grecia para atacar a las fuerzas britnicas all. El 30 de mayo, The Times y muchos otros peridicos occidentales informaron "SCHEMELING MAX MUERTO EN CRETA". Otros peridicos dijeron que Max haba sido un poco que Max haba intentado escapar, pero le dispararon y lo mataron. Al da siguiente, los tiempos corregido su historia y dijo que Max estaba vivo, en manos de los alemanes, y aunque estaba enfermo, que estaba mejorando. Sorprendentemente, cuando Joe Louis enter de la noticia, dijo, "Schmeling dijo cosas malas de m y de mi pueblo, pero me alegro mucho de que no est muerto."

The Nazi Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, saw this as a wonderful opportunity to humiliate the Western press and ordered an interview with Schmeling from his hospital bed. However, the Minister's plan backfired when Max explained that he became ill after eating old chocolate that the British had left behind. He also described the British as good fighters and said that all his friends who had been caught by the British had been treated very well. Max said that he hoped the war would be over soon, so he could meet his American friends again. El ministro nazi de Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, vio esto como una oportunidad maravillosa para humillar a la prensa occidental y orden una entrevista con Schmeling desde su cama de hospital. Sin embargo, el plan del ministro sali por la culata cuando Max explic que l se enferm despus de comer chocolate viejo que los britnicos haban dejado atrs. Tambin describi los britnicos como buenos luchadores y dijo que todos sus amigos que haban sido capturados por los britnicos haban tratado muy bien. Max dijo que esperaba que la guerra terminara pronto, para que pudiera reunirse con sus amigos americanos de nuevo.

Goebbels was furious with this pro-British talk and wanted Schmeling to be tried in a Nazi court for being a traitor to the Fatherland. His life was in danger again, but this time Maz was lucky. As a

soldier, he had to be tried before a military court in Berlin, instead. To Goebbels' frustration, the judges found Max innocent, Goebbels, still hungry for revenge, ordered that the name Max Schmeling would never be mentioned in German newspapers again. So Max's name suddenly disappeared from public attention, while Joe Louis' name was the hottest thing in the USA. Then, on 7th December, 1941, Americans heard the shocking news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In this attack, 2,403 servicement were killed and many warships and aircraft were destroyed. The US declared war on Japan. A few days later, Japan's ally, Germany, declared war on the US. Goebbels estaba furioso con esta charla pro-britnica y quiso Schmeling a ser juzgado en un tribunal nazi por ser un "traidor a la Patria". Su vida estaba en peligro de nuevo, pero esta vez Maz tuvo suerte. Como soldado, tena que ser juzgado por un tribunal militar en Berln, en lugar. Para frustracin de Goebbels, los jueces encontraron Max inocente, Goebbels, todava tiene hambre de venganza, orden que el nombre "Max Schmeling" nunca se menciona en los peridicos alemanes de nuevo. As que el nombre de Max de repente desapareci de la atencin pblica, mientras que el nombre de Joe Louis era la cosa ms caliente en los EE.UU.. Luego, el 7 de diciembre de 1941, los estadounidenses escuch la terrible noticia del ataque japons a Pearl Harbor. En este ataque, servicement 2.403 perdieron la vida y muchos buques de guerra y aviones fueron destruidos. Los EE.UU. declar la guerra a Japn. Unos das ms tarde, el aliado de Japn, Alemania, declar la guerra a los EE.UU..

Joe Louis was fiercely patriotic. He agreed to fight the giant Buddy Baer for his title and arranged that every cent of his fee would go to the American war effort. A reporter asked him whether it wasn't foolish to risk so much by fighting for nothing. I'm not fighting for nothing,he replied. I'm fighting for my country! The day after he beat Baer, Joe joined the army. He was offered the rank of officer, but preferred to be an ordinary soldier. At that time, the US army was segregated and Joe was put into a unit of black soldiers. Although Joe Had always made a lot of money, he had wasted it even faster. On the day he joined the army, Joe owed the US government a lot of income tax. The internal Revenue Service (IRS) agreed to wait until the end of the year to collect the money. Joe wasn't worried as he was sure that he would be able to cover his debts with the winnings from a couple of fights after the war was over. Joe Louis era ferozmente patritica. Estuvo de acuerdo en luchar contra el gigante de Buddy Baer por su ttulo y dispuso que cada centavo de su cuota ira al esfuerzo de guerra estadounidense. Un periodista le pregunt si no era una tontera arriesgar tanto por luchar por nada. "Yo no estoy peleando por nada", respondi. "Estoy luchando por mi pas!" El da despus de que venci Baer, Joe se uni al ejrcito. Se le ofreci el grado de oficial, pero prefiri ser un soldado raso. En ese momento, el ejrcito de EE.UU. se segreg y Joe se puso en una unidad de soldados negros. Aunque Joe siempre haba hecho un montn de dinero, lo haba perdido an ms rpido. El da en que ingres en el ejrcito, Joe le deba al gobierno de los EE.UU. una gran cantidad de impuesto sobre la renta. El Servicio de Rentas Internas (IRS) acordaron esperar hasta el final del ao para recoger el dinero. Joe no estaba preocupado porque estaba seguro de que iba a ser capaz de cubrir sus deudas con las ganancias de un par de peleas despus de la guerra haba terminado.

Because of his generosity after the Baer fight, Joe became a true US hero and was given an important award. In public, he read a patriotic speech, but instead of reading. We'll win because we're on God's side, he said. We'll win because God is on our side. His audience loved this. Sgns of Joe Louis in soldier's uniform, holding a rifle saying the official slogan, appeared everywhere and encouraged many men to volunteer. Debido a su generosidad despus de la pelea Baer, Joe se convirti en un verdadero hroe de EE.UU. y recibi un premio importante. En pblico, ley un discurso patritico, pero en lugar de la lectura. "Vamos a ganar porque estamos del lado de Dios", dijo. "Vamos a ganar porque Dios est de nuestro lado." Amaba a su audiencia esto. Sgns de Joe Louis en uniforme de soldado, sosteniendo un rifle diciendo que el eslogan oficial, aparecieron por todas partes y alent a muchos hombres para ser voluntario. Capitulo 11 After the War Finally, the war was over and both men had survived. However their futures looked quite different. Joe Louis had been the world heavyweight champion for almost a decade and there was still nobody who could beat him. The champion had not seen combat, but he had spent most of the war collecting money for the army and helping to raise US morale. He returned to an America that had grown stronger and richer during the war and was now celebrating its victory. The US had grown richer, but Joe had not. He had been unable to make much money during the war, but had carried on spending juts as always. There was always friend who needed a loan or a stranger that asked for a few dollars. Joe had never learned to say No! It was a terrible decision not to pay his income tax when he joined the army, because by the end of the war his debt had grown. The IRS was even taxing him on his winnings from the Buddy Baer fight money which he had donated to the US Army! Despus de la Segunda Guerra Por ltimo, la guerra haba terminado y los dos hombres haban sobrevivido. Sin embargo, su futuro pareca bastante diferente. Joe Louis haba sido el campen mundial de peso pesado durante casi una dcada y todava haba nadie que pudiera vencerlo. El campen no haba visto el combate, pero haba pasado la mayor parte de la guerra recaudar dinero para el ejrcito y ayudando a elevar la moral de EE.UU.. Regres a un Estados Unidos que haba hecho ms fuerte y ms rico durante la guerra y que ahora celebra su victoria. Los EE.UU. han hecho ms ricos, pero Joe no. Haba sido incapaz de hacer mucho dinero durante la guerra, pero haba continuado sobresale el gasto como siempre. Siempre haba amigo que necesitaba un prstamo o un desconocido que le pregunt por unos pocos dlares. Joe nunca haba aprendido a decir "No!" Fue una terrible decisin de no pagar su impuesto sobre la renta cuando se uni al ejrcito, porque al final de la guerra de su deuda haba crecido. El IRS incluso le fue exigente en sus ganancias de la lucha Buddy Baer - el dinero que haba donado al Ejrcito de los EE.UU.! Joe could still beat any boxer alive, but he knew that at 31 years old, he was not the same man who had defeated Max Schmeling seven years before. He moved more slowly and he enjoyed training much less than when he was younger. He owed both Mike Jacobs and the US Government a lot of money, but was still confident he could earn it back and put a few dollars away before he retired.

For Max, the future looked even less optimistic. He returned to a vanquished Germany, and at the age of 40, nobody was going to give him another shot at the title. Many Americans, including Joe Louis, still remembered the picturees of him in Nazi uniform and he was not allowed to enter the US. Novertheless, he returned to boxing because he had no other options. Max surprised several younger boxers. He was older and slower, but still had an extremely powerful punch. However, after five fights, which included three wins and two losses, he finally hung up his gloves in October 1948. Max had made enough miney from these fights to buy a farm where he kept minks, grew tobacco and soon he became a rich man. His fortunes improved further when an old American friend granted him the franchise to market Coca-Cola in West Germany. By the 1950s, he was already a multimillionaire. Joe todava poda vencer a cualquier boxeador con vida, pero saba que a los 31 aos de edad, l no era el mismo hombre que haba derrotado a Max Schmeling siete aos antes. l se movi ms lentamente y disfrutaba formacin mucho menos que cuando era ms joven. Le deba tanto a Mike Jacobs y el Gobierno de los EE.UU. una gran cantidad de dinero, pero an estaba seguro de que poda ganar de nuevo y poner unos cuantos dlares antes de que l se retir. Para Max, el futuro pareca an menos optimista. l volvi a vencer a Alemania, ya la edad de 40 aos, nadie le iba a dar otra oportunidad por el ttulo. Muchos estadounidenses, incluyendo a Joe Louis, an recordaba los picturees de l en uniforme nazi y no se le permiti entrar a los EE.UU.. Novertheless, regres al boxeo porque no tena otras opciones. Max sorprendido varios boxeadores ms jvenes. Era mayor y ms lento, pero an as tena un golpe muy potente. Sin embargo, despus de cinco peleas, que incluye tres victorias y dos derrotas, por fin colg los guantes en octubre de 1948. Max haba hecho suficiente miney de estas peleas para comprar una granja donde guardaba los visones, cultivaban tabaco y pronto se convirti en un hombre rico. Su suerte mejor an ms cuando un viejo amigo americano le concedi la licencia de comercializacin de CocaCola en Alemania Occidental. En la dcada de 1950, ya era multimillonario.

Max was granted the Coca-Cola franchise in West Germany. Max fue concedida la franquicia de Coca-Cola en Alemania Occidental. Back in the United Sates, Joe was still struggling to pay his debts. His fights brought in a lot of money, but after Joe had paid his managers, trainers and other staff, there was nothing left and his debts grew and grew. Joe was also looking for a way out. In March 1949, after a record.breaking 25 title defences, he announced his retirement. The plan was for him to make money by allowing four of the world's best boxers to fight for his title. After Joe's almost 12 years of dominating the world of heavyweight boxing, Ezzad Charles was the new champion. Then, Joe did something that almost every ex-heavyweight champion had done before him he tried to make a comeback. Unfortunately, no boxer had ever succeeded and Joe was not the exception. He lost to Charles in 1950 and then when Rocky Marciano became world champion a year later, he lost to him, too. Marciano was a great boxer, but everyone knew that he could never have defeated Joe in his prime. Joe had always been Rocky's hero and Rocky remembered hearing his fight against Max Schmeling that night in 1838 when he was still a kid. After he had defeated Joe, Rocky went back to his changing room and cried. Joe had been knocked out of the ring and his boxing career was over. He had earned more than $4,6 million (about $40 million in today's money), but as he lay there trying to breathe, all he had left were debts. Never againg would one of the greatest boxers of all time fight competitively.

Volver En los Estados Unidos, Joe segua luchando para pagar sus deudas. Sus peleas trajeron un montn de dinero, pero despus de que Joe haba pagado a sus directivos, entrenadores y otro personal, y no qued nada y crecieron sus deudas y creci. Joe tambin estaba buscando una salida. En marzo de 1949, despus de 25 defensas del ttulo record.breaking, anunci su retiro. El plan era que l para ganar dinero al permitir que cuatro de los mejores boxeadores del mundo para luchar por el ttulo. Despus de casi 12 aos de Joe de dominar el mundo de boxeo de peso pesado, Ezzad Charles era el nuevo campen. Entonces, Joe hizo algo que casi todos los ex campen de peso pesado haba hecho antes que l - l trat de hacer una reaparicin. Desafortunadamente, ningn boxeador haba logrado nunca y Joe no fue la excepcin. l perdi a Carlos en 1950 y luego, cuando Rocky Marciano se convirti en campen del mundo un ao ms tarde, l perdi a l, tambin. Marciano fue un gran boxeador, pero todo el mundo saba que nunca podra haber derrotado a Joe en su mejor momento. Joe siempre haba sido protagonista de Rocky y Rocky recordaba haber odo su lucha contra Max Schmeling esa noche en 1838 cuando todava era un nio. Despus de haber derrotado a Joe, Rocky volvi a su vestuario y llor. Joe haba sido golpeado fuera del ring y su carrera como boxeador haba terminado. Se haba ganado ms de $ 4,6 millones (unos US $ 40 millones en dinero de hoy), pero mientras estaba all tratando de respirar, lo nico que quedaba eran las deudas. Nunca againg sera uno de los ms grandes boxeadores de todos los tiempos lucha competitiva.

Capitulo 12 Reunion In 1954, Schmeling finally received a visa to visit the US. Few people seemed happy to see him and he was booed everywhere he went. His visit to his old enemy Joe Louis was, howevver, more successful. Schmeling began by trying to explain to Joe that he had never been a Nazi, but Joe didn't let him finish. Max, there is nothing to explain, he said. We're friends. It is all over. And the two old warriors did become friends. They went to a black Chicago nightclub and had some drinks. They laughed as they remembered their two great fights and all the years that had passed. For the first time, the newspapers were heardly interested in the story. After all, who wants to see a picture of two boxers if they aren't hitting each other? reunin En 1954, Schmeling finalmente recibi una visa para visitar los EE.UU.. Poca gente pareca feliz de verlo y l fue abucheado en todas partes donde iba. Su visita a su viejo enemigo Joe Louis era, howevver, ms xito. Schmeling comenz por tratar de explicarle a Joe que l nunca haba sido un nazi, pero Joe no le dej terminar. "Max, no hay nada que explicar", dijo. "Nosotros somos amigos. Es todo ". Y los dos viejos guerreros se convierten en amigos. Se fueron a un club nocturno de Chicago negro y tena algunas bebidas. Se echaron a rer al recordar sus dos grandes peleas y todos los aos que haban pasado. Por primera vez, los peridicos estaban heardly interesado en la historia. Despus de todo, quin quiere ver una foto de dos boxeadores si no estn golpeando uno al otro?

They laughed as they remembered their two great fights. Se echaron a rer al recordar sus dos grandes peleas. After that, Schmeling had one last friend to visti. Joe Jacobs had died back in Queens, New York. Schemeling had always felt close to his manager and often mentioned his friend when people accused him of being an anti-Semite. There was more evidence to show he was not anti-Semitic, but this was a secret he kept to himself. The years went by and Joe's debts increased. After several business ideas failed, he tried wrestling to make money to pay his debts, but almost killed himself. He still received a small salary from the boxing commission in exchange for having given up his title, but he knew he would never pay off his debts. Joe married several times and one of his wives arranged a solution by which the IRS would stop demanding money Joe could never pay. He was employed at Caesar's Palace Casino in Las Vegas as a celebrity host; his job was to have his photograph taken with guests and to chat with them. Despus de eso, Schmeling tuvo un ltimo amigo que visti. Joe Jacobs haba muerto de nuevo en Queens, Nueva York. Schemeling haba sentido siempre cerca de su gerente y menciona a menudo a su amigo cuando la gente lo acus de ser un antisemita. No haba ms pruebas para demostrar que no era antisemita, pero esto era un secreto que guard para s. Pasaron los aos y el aumento de las deudas de Joe. Despus de varias ideas de negocio fracas, trat de luchar para ganar dinero para pagar sus deudas, pero casi se mat. l todava reciba un salario pequeo de la comisin de boxeo a cambio de haber renunciado a su ttulo, pero saba que nunca podra pagar sus deudas. Joe casado varias veces y una de sus esposas organiz una solucin mediante la cual el IRS dejara de exigir dinero Joe nunca podra pagar. Fue empleado en el Caesars Palace Casino en Las Vegas como una serie de celebridades, su trabajo consista en tener su fotografa tomada con los huspedes y charlar con ellos.

Many of those who remembered the great Brown Bomber thought it was humiliating to see him doing such a job. However, his son, John Joe Louis Barrow Junior, said that this was a time he enjoyed very much. Max was always a generous man and he became a philanthropist, too. He and Joe met several more times and when Joe was ill or in financial problems, Max helped him out. Joe Louis died of a heart attack in Desert Springs Hospital near Las Vegas on 12th April, 1981, at the age of 66. President Reagan arranged for him to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honours. Max Schmeling, who helped carry the coffin, paid for part of his funeral. An interviewer once asked him, Max, did you like Joe Louis? I didn't like him, he replied. I loved him. Muchos de los que record la gran Bombardero Brown pens que era humillante para verle hacer un trabajo. Sin embargo, su hijo, John Joe Louis Barrow Junior, dijo que este era un momento que disfrutamos mucho. Max siempre fue un hombre generoso y se convirti en un filntropo, tambin. l y Joe se reuni varias veces ms y cuando Joe estaba enfermo o en problemas financieros, Max le ayud a salir. Joe Louis muri de un ataque al corazn en Desert Springs Hospital, cerca de Las Vegas el 12 de abril de 1981, a la edad de 66 aos. El presidente Reagan hizo arreglos para que fuera enterrado en el Cementerio Nacional de Arlington con todos los honores militares. Max Schmeling, quien ayud

a llevar el atad, pag parte de su funeral. El entrevistador le pregunt una vez, "Max, lo hiciste como Joe Louis?" "No me cae bien," contest. "Yo lo amaba." In Detroit, there is a huge monument of a fist outside the Joe Louis Sports Arena. It represented the fist of Joe Louis, who knocked out 23 opponents in 27 title fights. It was the fist of a fighter who was world champion for 11 years and 10 months. Most importantly, it was the fist of boxer who gave the black man dreams of freedom when he was not yet fully free and gave the free world hope when all seemed lost. En Detroit, hay un enorme monumento de un puo fuera de la Arena Joe Louis Sports. Representaba el puo de Joe Louis, quien noque a 23 oponentes en 27 peleas de ttulo. Era el puo de un boxeador que fue campen del mundo durante 11 aos y 10 meses. Lo ms importante, fue el puo de boxeador que dio a los sueos del hombre blanco de la libertad cuando no estaba todava completamente libre y le dio la esperanza mundo libre cuando todo pareca perdido.