Max Schmeling is 99 tomorrow

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 27 Sep 2004, 08:45

Happy birthday Max: the oldest living former world heavyweight champ is an incredible 99 tomorrow (Tuesday).

neil r · Post by **neil r** » 27 Sep 2004, 08:49

and an incredibly rich 99 year old too, having bought one of the first coca cola franchises in Germany after the war

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 27 Sep 2004, 08:53

Happy birthday Max, despite the way some ignorant sources choose to paint Schmeling, he is one of the good guys

Roll on 100.

knockout artist · Post by **knockout artist** » 27 Sep 2004, 09:06

Ive heard Hatton is gonna move up to Heavy. His first opponent will be scmeling for the WBU title

Loynesy · Post by **Loynesy** » 27 Sep 2004, 10:13

Just finished his autobiog. Great book.

Anyone who goes to see Hitler and tells him he is not changing his manager just becasue he is Jewish has some balls

Eric the Viking · Post by **Eric the Viking** » 27 Sep 2004, 15:25

I posted this last year for Max's 98th: it includes a link to a copy of the classic article about Max by Sports Illustrated's Frank DeFord:

http://www.boxrec.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=11623

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 28 Sep 2004, 14:02

Max Schmeling celebrated his 99th birthday with a few close friends in his hometown of Hamburg. "I am getting older," pointed out the former world heavyweight champion. "It's not a reason to celebrate.
"But now I want to make the 100."
Schmeling is still a fan of the sport. "When there are big fights, I try to watch them on TV," he said. "But I'm no longer getting up at 4 o'clock in the night to see a fight."
His great friend and rival, Joe Louis, died in 1981. Max paid for his lavish funeral and also donated a huge amount of cash to Joe's widow. It was delivered to Mrs Louis at the funeral by Henry Lewin, who as a boy had been smuggled out of Germany by Schmeling during Hitler's anti-Jew crusade.
When Lewin said who the parcel was from, Mrs Louis uttered: "Ah, Max Schmeling. Our true friend."