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| | ESPN Classic - 'Brown Bomber' was a hero to all |
 | | In a time when his own people were still subject to lynchings, discrimination and oppression, when the military was segregated and African-Americans weren't permitted to play major league baseball, Joe Louis was the first African-American to achieve the kind of hero worship that was previously reserved for whites only. |
 | | His undefeated streak ended on June 19, 1936 when Schmeling, another former champion, detected a chink in Louis' armor: Because Louis carried his left hand low, he was vulnerable to a counter right. |
 | | The IRS, conveniently forgetting Louis' generosity during the war, demanded a reported $1.25 million in back taxes, interest and penalties, and he suffered the humiliation of pro wrestling to help pay his debts. |
| espn.go.com /classic/biography/s/Louis_Joe.html (1434 words) |
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