Red Letter Local History Day: 10 March 1950

"The Brown Bomber," heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis reigned as heavyweight champion from June 22, 1937 until March 1, 1949, successfully defending his title 25 times, 21 times with a knock-out punch. During World War II, he served in the United States Army. He returned to boxing when the War ended but retired in 1949. Louis came to Beaufort in March of 1950 as part of an exhibition bout tour of the South and West. 

Beaufort Gazette, 23 March 1950, p. 9

The Beaufort Gazette reported that "Hundreds of spectators from the surrounding counties" were expected to attend the fight on March 10, 1950 as busloads of folks coming from Charleston, Summerville, Kingstree and Georgetown. Beaufort was among the smallest towns in which Louis was scheduled to fight during the tour.

W. Kent Alston, Principal of the Robert Smalls High School for black students, had asked Louis to do the bout. The school stadium was converted into a boxing arena with varying admission prices for children, adults and ring side seats. Beaufort was part of the segregated South in 1950 but "seats for both white and colored will be available." 

Alston went to the Savannah airport to greet and drive Louis to Beaufort. Louis stayed overnight with Mr. and Mrs. Norman Mouzon on Scott Street.  During the day, Beaufort's Mayor Angus D. Fordham presented Louis with a key to the city; County Superintendent of Education, Allan Paul, praised him for his sportsmanship and congratulated Alston on staging the bout; and student representatives from the black schools (Robert Smalls schools and St. Helena High and Dale-Lobeco schools) gave Louis a robe,a Bible and an album.   

Marines served as the exhibition officials: Lt. A. W. Latta, boxing coach at the Recruit Depot, was referee; Maj. H. A. Haad, CWO H. L. Bales, and TSgt. A. J. Cappel were judges; and Lt. T.A. Stawicki was timekeeper for the evening.

Preliminary bouts began at 8 PM with three fights: 

Thomas Birch (Charleston) vs. Elijah "Bolo" Rhodes (Charleston) 
Clarence "Chocolate Drop" Weston (Charleston) vs. Edward Jenkins (Charleston)
Frank Dent (Cincinnati, OH) vs. Robert Perry (Beaufort) 

On March 9th the Gazette identified Louis's opponent as John Turner, a 225-pound student at South Carolina State University (then called State A. & M. College) but for an unspecified reason, Turner was replaced at the last minute by John Shaw. Louis, known for his graciousness, said of Shaw: "He packs a real punch. I was saved by the bell there in the last round."

Winners of the preliminary bouts, each by knockout, were Weston, Rhodes, and Dent. Alas, Beaufort's Robert Perry was not victorious that evening.

Louis was reported by Alston to have enjoyed his time in the area "saying that the welcome shown him in Beaufort, by both white and colored, was 'the finest he had ever received anywhere... I am more than appreciative of the courtesy shown me by the police department, city officials and others with whom I came in contact.'"

Alston drove Louis to his next bout in Columbia the following day but before he left Louis subscribed to the Beaufort Gazette newspaper. 

Come to the Research Room to read the contents of the Joe Louis vertical file and to read back issues of the Beaufort Gazette and other local newspapers on microfilm.The Library has even more items to share with you about Joe Louis.

Sources: 

"Joe Louis set to Fight Here on March 10," Beaufort Gazette, 23 February 1950, p. 1.
"Sparring Mates for Joe Louis Fights Named," Beaufort Gazette, 2 March 1950, p. 1.
"All in Readiness for Louis Fight Here Tomorrow Night," Beaufort Gazette, 9 March 1950, p. 1.
"Louis Says He was Saved by Bell Here Fri.," Beaufort Gazette, 16 March 1950, p. 8.
"Louis Praises Beaufort," Beaufort Gazette, 23 March 1950, p. 6.
"Joe Louis Gazette Subscriber," Beaufort Gazette, 23 March 1950, p. 9.