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Max Schmeling: An Autobiography

2007-10-22T22:09:15Z

Friedie:

[[file:BookCover.Max Schmeling.An Autobiography.gif|left]]
*ISBN 1566251087
*Format: Hardcover, 215pp
*Pub. Date: October 1998
*Publisher: Bonus Books, Inc.

 
Originally published in German, and once hard-to-find, this fascinating and detailed autobiography by former World Champion [[Max Schmeling]] was translated into English and edited by George B. von der Lippe, Ph.D., in 1998. It contains many photographs.

''Library Journal'' review: 
Born in Ukermarck, Germany, in 1905 [sic], Schmeling gained fame in the 1920s knocking people down to the delight of sports-crazed Berlin society. As part of the city's cafe set, he was sculpted by Rudolph Belling and painted by George Grosz; world heavyweight champion from 1930 to 1932, he traveled by Zeppelin to many New York bouts, married a movie star, and knocked out the great [[Joe Louis]]. When, in 1938, the two had their hysterically politicized rematch at Yankee Stadium, he was unfairly billed by the press (for life) as the Nazis' boy vs. "America's hope." (Schmeling lasted 1:24 minutes.) This plain-spoken autobiography is also a portrait of Germany through its often terrible century. Schmeling is most interesting on the subject of Hitler and on the pressures to drop his Jewish manager. Once his athletic value dipped, the Nazi regime drafted the 35-year-old Schmeling and dumped him out of a plane over wartime Crete. Afterward, he had to start from scratch as a businessman. The storytelling in this first English translation of his autobiography is good-natured if uncharismatic. It also contains 96 photos, many of pre-war Berlin. Recommended for sports and large German history collections.--Nathan Ward, ''Library Journal''

[[Category:Books|Max Schmeling: An Autobiography]]

Max Schmeling

2007-10-04T22:05:27Z

Friedie: /* Walker and Baer */

[[file:Schmeling.Max.jpg|left|Max Schmeling]]
<boxer>009041</boxer>
'''Trainer''': [[Max Machon]] 
'''Managers''': Artur Bühlow, [[Joe Jacobs]]

==Career Overview==
In America, he was routinely cast by promoters as the cold-hearted, villainous invader, a puppet of Hitler and a hater of Jews. In Germany, Nazi propagandists portrayed him as a heroic symbol of German destiny and Aryan supremacy. In no way was '''Max Schmeling''' any of these things. He was a quality prizefighter with respectable boxing technique, a solid right hand punch, and a keen intellect. The clash of politics, ideals, and countries that often symbolically accompanied his biggest fights only took place within the perceptions of the audience; they had nothing to do with what happened in the ring. Instead of being respected for his multiple accomplishments in the ring, he spent much of his life derided in America as a Nazi and dismissed in Germany as a disappointment. It was only in his later life that his status as a fighter, apart from his cultural symbolism, could be clearly analyzed.
===Early Years===
Schmeling first became acquainted with boxing as a teenager, when his father took him to watch film of the heavyweight championship match between [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Georges Carpentier]]. Impressed with Dempsey’s performance in that fight, young Schmeling became determined to imitate his new hero. He began boxing in amateur competitions and, by 1924, won Germany’s national amateur title in the light heavyweight division. Shortly thereafter he turned professional. Ironically, though he idolized the raging, brawling Dempsey, Max developed a careful, scientific style of fighting that leant itself more to counterpunching. Using this style, he got off to an impressive – though hardly sensational – start by winning seventeen of his first twenty-three bouts, thirteen by knockout. In 1925 he had the thrill of getting into the ring with Dempsey himself, who was then still heavyweight champion of the world and was touring Europe. Dempsey boxed for two rounds with the then unknown German and, according to a story later told by Schmeling, was greatly impressed. He proved Dempsey’s praises correct on August 24, 1926, when picking up the German light heavyweight championship with a first round knockout of rival [[Max Diekmann]], who had previously beaten Max. The next year, Schmeling won the European championship by stopping [[Fernand Delarge]] in the first boxing match broadcast live in Germany. After defending both titles against [[Hein Domgörgen]] the same year and , in 1928, the European Title with a first round knockout of [[Michele Bonaglia]] he secured the German heavyweight championship with a point victory against [[Franz Diener]] and decided to chase bigger fights and bigger purses in the United States. 
Arriving in New York City for the first time in 1928, Schmeling was hardly noticed by the American fight circles. Considered a stiff European fighter who had padded his record against German and European unknowns, he was given few opportunities to prove himself until he hooked up with American manager [[Joe Jacobs]], a man with the proper talents and connections to move Max’s career along a positive path. Schmeling’s debut in America took place at [[Madison Square Garden]] with an eighth round knockout of [[Joe Monte]], who was not a top flight heavyweight but nonetheless a young American who had been in with some tough competition. Two more victories led to a fight with [[Johnny Risko]], one of the biggest names in the division, though somewhat beyond his prime. On February 1, 1929, Schmeling floored Risko four times with his right hand before the referee halted the contest in the ninth round to save Risko from further punishment. The surprised crowd in attendance roared with appreciation and [[The Ring]] magazine subsequently recognized the win as its “Fight of the Year.”

==="Low Blow Champion" earns better reputation in following fights===
Boxing pundits were quickly changing their opinions of the German. When he defeated highly regarded Spaniard [[Paolino Uzcudun]] via fifteen round decision at Yankee Stadium later that year, Max was suddenly regarded as the foremost young contender in the division. With reigning heavyweight champion [[Gene Tunney]] recently retired promoters arranged a matchup between Max and veteran contender [[Jack Sharkey]] to fill the vacancy. On June 12, 1930, at Yankee Stadium, in a fight billed as the “Battle of the Continents,” Schmeling, known as a slow starter, fell slightly behind on points going into the fourth round. Schmeling was trying to corner his opponent when Sharkey let loose with a blow to the body which strayed below the belt line. Max immediately clutched his groin and fell to the canvas, claiming to have been fouled. When manager Jacobs ran into the ring, prompting all kinds of chaos, the confused referee disqualified Sharkey and declared Schmeling the victor and the first (and only) man to win the heavyweight championship on a foul. The New York State Athletic Commission, reviewing the call, agreed. 
The first European-born boxer to win the heavyweight championship in thirty-three years, Max was also the first from Germany to hold the distinction. Still, the way in which he won the title proved an embarrassment. Called the “low blow champion” he was disparaged in both America and Europe as an unproven titleholder. When he initially refused to face Sharkey in a rematch, the [[New York State Athletic Commission]] officially stripped him of their recognition as world champion, but he remained recognized by both the [[National Boxing Association]] and The Ring magazine. Most of the criticism faded after Max’s first defense, an impressive fifteen round t.K.o. over [[Young Stribling]], a future hall of famer with 239 wins to his credit by 1931. In order to solidify his title as undisputed, Max signed a contract to face the Boston Gob once more. On June 21, 1932, the championship picture became even more muddled when Sharkey won a highly controversial split decision, taking the championship. Many in attendance, including Gene Tunney and the mayor of New York, felt that Max had proven himself the better man and was robbed. In losing the championship, the German had managed to elevate his reputation in the minds of boxing fans.

===Walker and Baer===
When Schmeling faced [[Mickey Walker]], the future hall of famer who had recently held Sharkey to a draw that many felt Walker deserved, it was thought that this fight was for the real heavyweight championship. Walker, a former welterweight, was a popular slugger who had won championships in two divisions but was at a considerably size disadvantage against Max. Though Mickey fought bravely and took the lead on points early in the fight, Schmeling showed both boxing ability and punching power in dealing out a terrific beating as the fight progressed. After eight exciting rounds, Walker’s corner threw in the towel, confirming Schmeling’s status as the leading heavyweight in the world. 
With the coming of 1933, however, Schmeling’s image in America began to take a decided turn. In 1932, the Nazi Party became the most powerful political force in Germany and its ideologies, voiced by party leader Adolf Hitler, overflowed with anti-Semitic tendencies. Major American cities such as New York had large Jewish populations who worried over what the party could mean for people of their religion in the future. Schmeling, because he was German, was viewed as an extention of Hitler’s plans for world domination. When Schmeling was slated to fight heavy-hitting contender [[Max Baer]] on June 8, 1933, he immediately became the “bad guy” in the eyes of fans. Baer, who did not practice the Jewish religion but had a Jewish grandfather, came into the ring wearing the Star of David on his shorts. Promoter Jack Dempsey played up this angle and suddenly the fight was viewed as Baer defending his faith against the prejudice of the Nazis, represented reluctantly by Schmeling. Thrown off of his game in part by the bad publicity, but also because of Baer’s wild, brawling style and frequent fouls (including backhand punches and rabbit punches), Schmeling was positively thrashed after ten rounds before nearly 60,000 onlookers at Yankee Stadium. While the German took a vicious battering against the ropes in the tenth, the referee leapt in to stop the fight. The embarrassing fight, combined with a follow-up loss to contender [[Steve Hamas]] early the next year, left many wondering if Schmeling was still a world top class fighter.

===Dismantling the Bomber===
Returning to his native Germany, Max won three of his next four fights, with one draw, including knockout wins over [[Walter Neusel]] and [[Steve Hamas]]. His opponents were of an impressive caliber, but many among the American press and fans remained unmoved on the idea of rooting for Schmeling in light of the Nazi Party’s behavior. Articles continued to be published declaring the German “washed up,” a “has been,” or a “Nazi puppet.” When he was matched with undefeated African American sensation [[Joe Louis]] in 1936 for Max’s first fight on American soil in more than two years, he was clearly the betting underdog, considered a name opponent for Louis to roll over on his route to the title, nevertheless he was number two contender for the title behind Louis. Prior to the match, Schmeling carefully studied films of Louis’ prior fights, dissecting apparent flaws in the Detroit fighter’s technique. Among the weaknesses he noticed was the fact that Louis lowered his left hand after throwing a left jab. In the ring, Max exploited this subtle flaw to his own advantage, countering nearly every Louis jab with his best punch, the right cross. The fight proved to be a competitive, hard-hitting affair for the first three rounds, but, in the fourth, a counter right from the German dropped Louis for the first time in his career. Though Louis rose, he was badly dazed for the remainder of the fight and Schmeling subsequently delivered the finest performance of his career. For a further eight rounds he battered Louis, often standing toe-to-toe with the vaunted puncher and landing that same right hand to the jaw repeatedly. In the twelfth he sent Joe tumbling to the floor once more, and this time Louis could not recover. He was counted out on the floor and Schmeling had scored the most talked-about sports upset of the year. 
Now the unexpected number one contender for the heavyweight crown held by [[Jim Braddock]], Schmeling looked forward to his chance to regain the title as first Heavyweight ever, scheduled for that September. The fight was postponed, however, when Braddock injured his hand in training. Rumors existed that the fight’s organizers were stalling, afraid of the negative publicity that would be generated over a perceived Nazi getting a shot at the world’s title. When it was confirmed that Braddock’s managers were in talks with the Louis camp, the New York Commission officially released an order for Braddock to fight Schmeling for the title. Any other fight, with Louis or otherwise, would not be recognized by New York as being for the championship. The [[Madison Square Garden Corporation]], the largest promotional company in the sport at the time, even attempted to get a legal injunction against a Braddock-Louis fight (Louis was not on their roster). Nonetheless, in February in 1937, Schmeling received the bad news that the champion had indeed singed to defend his championship against Louis. A furious Max protested, but to no avail and was forced to watch from ringside as Louis knocked Braddock out and gained the championship.
Sorely disappointed and convinced that he would never receive his chance at redemption, Schmeling fought just once more in America, an eighth round knockout of future contender [[Harry Thomas]], before returning to Germany. In his native land, Schmeling was regarded as a hero and promoted by the Nazi propaganda machine as a perfect example of German supremacy over the rest of the world by virtue of his stunning defeat of the current champion, Louis. The government ordered parades and rallies in his honor. He became a friend to Hitler and other powerful figures in the government and also a popular subject of newspaper articles and films. He continued to press for a chance at a rematch with Louis and in the meantime padded his record against overmatched fighters [[Ben Foord]] and [[Steve Dudas]].

==="Battle of the Century"===
In 1938, champion Joe Louis announced that he would indeed face Schmeling for the title. The rematch became an instant international sensation. Many clamored impatiently for its happening, but others, afraid of international tensions and the possibility of Hitler taking over the championship, protested. The controversy and ballyhoo led to the even becoming the most anticipated boxing match since the rematch between Dempsey and Gene Tunney, or possibly earlier. Louis, with his poor, African American roots was adopted by American fans as the symbol of America as a land of opportunity. In contrast, Americans perceived Schmeling and his ties to Hitler as an obvious threat to those opportunities and ideals. When Max walked to the ring at Yankee Stadium on June 22, 1938, he did so under a hail of garbage thrown from the stands. Ironically, it was a less humiliating barrage than what he experienced in the ring. Louis came out blazing in the first round and Max tried to counterpunch as he had in the first bout, but to no avail. Driven into the ropes and battered with a fusillade of short, crisp blows from every angle, Max turned his back to his opponent and clutched onto the ropes, letting out a scream that years later many spectators could recall vividly. Schmeling would later claim that he screamed because he had been hit with a blow to the kidneys. Max’s knees buckled under the punishment and referee [[Arthur Donovan]] pushed Louis away, beginning a count on Schmeling. Max reluctantly stepped away from the ropes and Donovan allowed him to continue. A few punches later, Max was laying on the canvas. From then on, he was helpless. He rose but fell moments later and Donovan stopped the fight. 
When he returned to Germany, Schmeling learned that the Nazi propagandists had stopped the radio broadcast of the fight halfway through the first round, embarrassed by Max’s performance. He was now shunned by the Nazis. Forced to continue his career for money, Max managed to win both the German and European heavyweight championships on the same night, with a first round knockout of [[Adolf Heuser]]. As war tensions increased in Europe, and then throughout the world, Max did what he could to silently protest the Nazi regime. During the Nazi purge of Jews from Berlin, he personally saved the lives of two Jewish children by hiding them in his house. He also visited American P.O.W. camps and occasionally tried to help conditions for the prisoners. He remained loyal to his country, however, and, drafted into the Germany Army during the second World War, he served honorably as a paratrooper. After the war, strapped for money, he embarked upon a moderately successful comeback in boxing, winning three of his five bouts with two point defeats before re-entering retirement in 1948. During the 1950s, Schmeling began working for the Coca-Cola Company’s offices in Germany. Before long he owned his own bottling plant and held an executive’s position within the company, making millions of dollars a year. In 1992, he was inducted into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]]. He lived his remaining years as a wealthy man and avid boxing fan, passing away on February 2, 2005 at the age of ninety-nine.

===Sources===
Bak, Richard. [[Joe Louis: The Great Black Hope]]. 1996. 
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Fleischer, Nat and Sam Andre. [[An Illustrated History of Boxing]]. 2001. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed. 2006. 
==Factoids==
 
*Named [[Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year]] for 1930.
*On July 25, 1930, Schmeling was saved from drowning in Lake Scharmnetzel (southeast of Berlin) after his motorboat capsized during a storm. A passing motorist hauled him out of the water.
*Max was the cousin of [[Nick Schmeling]] 

Autobiography: [[Max Schmeling: An Autobiography|''Max Schmeling: An Autobiography'']]

== Outside Links ==
[http://coxscorner.tripod.com/louismax.html The Joe Louis Knockout Punch] 
[http://www.bonus-books.com/bonus/subject/biography/mschmeling.html Autobiography] 
[http://www.ushmm.org/olympics/zcc036c.htm Olympics] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ German Bio] 
[http://www2.tagesspiegel.de/archiv/2001/09/27/ak-sp-6610346.html Another German piece] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ Biografien] 

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Gene Tunney]] Retired|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Jack Sharkey]]|
years=12 Jun 1930– 21 Jun 1932
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:German World Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World War II Veterans|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:2005 Deaths|Schmeling, Max]]

Max Schmeling

2007-10-04T22:04:48Z

Friedie: /* "Low Blow Champion" earns reputation in following fights */

[[file:Schmeling.Max.jpg|left|Max Schmeling]]
<boxer>009041</boxer>
'''Trainer''': [[Max Machon]] 
'''Managers''': Artur Bühlow, [[Joe Jacobs]]

==Career Overview==
In America, he was routinely cast by promoters as the cold-hearted, villainous invader, a puppet of Hitler and a hater of Jews. In Germany, Nazi propagandists portrayed him as a heroic symbol of German destiny and Aryan supremacy. In no way was '''Max Schmeling''' any of these things. He was a quality prizefighter with respectable boxing technique, a solid right hand punch, and a keen intellect. The clash of politics, ideals, and countries that often symbolically accompanied his biggest fights only took place within the perceptions of the audience; they had nothing to do with what happened in the ring. Instead of being respected for his multiple accomplishments in the ring, he spent much of his life derided in America as a Nazi and dismissed in Germany as a disappointment. It was only in his later life that his status as a fighter, apart from his cultural symbolism, could be clearly analyzed.
===Early Years===
Schmeling first became acquainted with boxing as a teenager, when his father took him to watch film of the heavyweight championship match between [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Georges Carpentier]]. Impressed with Dempsey’s performance in that fight, young Schmeling became determined to imitate his new hero. He began boxing in amateur competitions and, by 1924, won Germany’s national amateur title in the light heavyweight division. Shortly thereafter he turned professional. Ironically, though he idolized the raging, brawling Dempsey, Max developed a careful, scientific style of fighting that leant itself more to counterpunching. Using this style, he got off to an impressive – though hardly sensational – start by winning seventeen of his first twenty-three bouts, thirteen by knockout. In 1925 he had the thrill of getting into the ring with Dempsey himself, who was then still heavyweight champion of the world and was touring Europe. Dempsey boxed for two rounds with the then unknown German and, according to a story later told by Schmeling, was greatly impressed. He proved Dempsey’s praises correct on August 24, 1926, when picking up the German light heavyweight championship with a first round knockout of rival [[Max Diekmann]], who had previously beaten Max. The next year, Schmeling won the European championship by stopping [[Fernand Delarge]] in the first boxing match broadcast live in Germany. After defending both titles against [[Hein Domgörgen]] the same year and , in 1928, the European Title with a first round knockout of [[Michele Bonaglia]] he secured the German heavyweight championship with a point victory against [[Franz Diener]] and decided to chase bigger fights and bigger purses in the United States. 
Arriving in New York City for the first time in 1928, Schmeling was hardly noticed by the American fight circles. Considered a stiff European fighter who had padded his record against German and European unknowns, he was given few opportunities to prove himself until he hooked up with American manager [[Joe Jacobs]], a man with the proper talents and connections to move Max’s career along a positive path. Schmeling’s debut in America took place at [[Madison Square Garden]] with an eighth round knockout of [[Joe Monte]], who was not a top flight heavyweight but nonetheless a young American who had been in with some tough competition. Two more victories led to a fight with [[Johnny Risko]], one of the biggest names in the division, though somewhat beyond his prime. On February 1, 1929, Schmeling floored Risko four times with his right hand before the referee halted the contest in the ninth round to save Risko from further punishment. The surprised crowd in attendance roared with appreciation and [[The Ring]] magazine subsequently recognized the win as its “Fight of the Year.”

==="Low Blow Champion" earns better reputation in following fights===
Boxing pundits were quickly changing their opinions of the German. When he defeated highly regarded Spaniard [[Paolino Uzcudun]] via fifteen round decision at Yankee Stadium later that year, Max was suddenly regarded as the foremost young contender in the division. With reigning heavyweight champion [[Gene Tunney]] recently retired promoters arranged a matchup between Max and veteran contender [[Jack Sharkey]] to fill the vacancy. On June 12, 1930, at Yankee Stadium, in a fight billed as the “Battle of the Continents,” Schmeling, known as a slow starter, fell slightly behind on points going into the fourth round. Schmeling was trying to corner his opponent when Sharkey let loose with a blow to the body which strayed below the belt line. Max immediately clutched his groin and fell to the canvas, claiming to have been fouled. When manager Jacobs ran into the ring, prompting all kinds of chaos, the confused referee disqualified Sharkey and declared Schmeling the victor and the first (and only) man to win the heavyweight championship on a foul. The New York State Athletic Commission, reviewing the call, agreed. 
The first European-born boxer to win the heavyweight championship in thirty-three years, Max was also the first from Germany to hold the distinction. Still, the way in which he won the title proved an embarrassment. Called the “low blow champion” he was disparaged in both America and Europe as an unproven titleholder. When he initially refused to face Sharkey in a rematch, the [[New York State Athletic Commission]] officially stripped him of their recognition as world champion, but he remained recognized by both the [[National Boxing Association]] and The Ring magazine. Most of the criticism faded after Max’s first defense, an impressive fifteen round t.K.o. over [[Young Stribling]], a future hall of famer with 239 wins to his credit by 1931. In order to solidify his title as undisputed, Max signed a contract to face the Boston Gob once more. On June 21, 1932, the championship picture became even more muddled when Sharkey won a highly controversial split decision, taking the championship. Many in attendance, including Gene Tunney and the mayor of New York, felt that Max had proven himself the better man and was robbed. In losing the championship, the German had managed to elevate his reputation in the minds of boxing fans.

===Walker and Baer===
When Schmeling faced [[Mickey Walker]], the future hall of famer who had recently held Sharkey to a draw that many felt Walker deserved, it was thought that this fight was for the real heavyweight championship. Walker, a former welterweight, was a popular slugger who had won championships in two divisions but was at a considerably size disadvantage against Max. Though Mickey fought bravely and took the lead on points early in the fight, Schmeling showed both boxing ability and punching power in dealing out a terrific beating as the fight progressed. After eight exciting rounds, Walker’s corner threw in the towel, confirming Schmeling’s status as the leading heavyweight in the world. 
With the coming of 1933, however, Schmeling’s image in America began to take a decided turn. In 1932, the Nazi Party became the most powerful political force in Germany and its ideologies, voiced by party leader Adolf Hitler, overflowed with anti-Semitic tendencies. Major American cities such as New York had large Jewish populations who worried over what the party could mean for people of their religion in the future. Schmeling, because he was German, was viewed as an extention of Hitler’s plans for world domination. When Schmeling was slated to fight heavy-hitting contender [[Max Baer]] on June 8, 1933, he immediately became the “bad guy” in the eyes of fans. Baer, who did not practice the Jewish religion but had a Jewish grandfather, came into the ring wearing the Star of David on his shorts. Promoter Jack Dempsey played up this angle and suddenly the fight was viewed as Baer defending his faith against the prejudice of the Nazis, represented reluctantly by Schmeling. Thrown off of his game in part by the bad publicity, but also because of Baer’s wild, brawling style and frequent fouls (including backhand punches and rabbit punches), Schmeling was positively thrashed after ten rounds before nearly 60,000 onlookers at Yankee Stadium. While the German took a vicious battering against the ropes in the tenth, the referee leapt in to stop the fight. The embarrassing fight, combined with a follow-up loss to contender [[Steve Hamas]] early the next year, left many wondering if Schmeling was still a world class fighter.

===Dismantling the Bomber===
Returning to his native Germany, Max won three of his next four fights, with one draw, including knockout wins over [[Walter Neusel]] and [[Steve Hamas]]. His opponents were of an impressive caliber, but many among the American press and fans remained unmoved on the idea of rooting for Schmeling in light of the Nazi Party’s behavior. Articles continued to be published declaring the German “washed up,” a “has been,” or a “Nazi puppet.” When he was matched with undefeated African American sensation [[Joe Louis]] in 1936 for Max’s first fight on American soil in more than two years, he was clearly the betting underdog, considered a name opponent for Louis to roll over on his route to the title, nevertheless he was number two contender for the title behind Louis. Prior to the match, Schmeling carefully studied films of Louis’ prior fights, dissecting apparent flaws in the Detroit fighter’s technique. Among the weaknesses he noticed was the fact that Louis lowered his left hand after throwing a left jab. In the ring, Max exploited this subtle flaw to his own advantage, countering nearly every Louis jab with his best punch, the right cross. The fight proved to be a competitive, hard-hitting affair for the first three rounds, but, in the fourth, a counter right from the German dropped Louis for the first time in his career. Though Louis rose, he was badly dazed for the remainder of the fight and Schmeling subsequently delivered the finest performance of his career. For a further eight rounds he battered Louis, often standing toe-to-toe with the vaunted puncher and landing that same right hand to the jaw repeatedly. In the twelfth he sent Joe tumbling to the floor once more, and this time Louis could not recover. He was counted out on the floor and Schmeling had scored the most talked-about sports upset of the year. 
Now the unexpected number one contender for the heavyweight crown held by [[Jim Braddock]], Schmeling looked forward to his chance to regain the title as first Heavyweight ever, scheduled for that September. The fight was postponed, however, when Braddock injured his hand in training. Rumors existed that the fight’s organizers were stalling, afraid of the negative publicity that would be generated over a perceived Nazi getting a shot at the world’s title. When it was confirmed that Braddock’s managers were in talks with the Louis camp, the New York Commission officially released an order for Braddock to fight Schmeling for the title. Any other fight, with Louis or otherwise, would not be recognized by New York as being for the championship. The [[Madison Square Garden Corporation]], the largest promotional company in the sport at the time, even attempted to get a legal injunction against a Braddock-Louis fight (Louis was not on their roster). Nonetheless, in February in 1937, Schmeling received the bad news that the champion had indeed singed to defend his championship against Louis. A furious Max protested, but to no avail and was forced to watch from ringside as Louis knocked Braddock out and gained the championship.
Sorely disappointed and convinced that he would never receive his chance at redemption, Schmeling fought just once more in America, an eighth round knockout of future contender [[Harry Thomas]], before returning to Germany. In his native land, Schmeling was regarded as a hero and promoted by the Nazi propaganda machine as a perfect example of German supremacy over the rest of the world by virtue of his stunning defeat of the current champion, Louis. The government ordered parades and rallies in his honor. He became a friend to Hitler and other powerful figures in the government and also a popular subject of newspaper articles and films. He continued to press for a chance at a rematch with Louis and in the meantime padded his record against overmatched fighters [[Ben Foord]] and [[Steve Dudas]].

==="Battle of the Century"===
In 1938, champion Joe Louis announced that he would indeed face Schmeling for the title. The rematch became an instant international sensation. Many clamored impatiently for its happening, but others, afraid of international tensions and the possibility of Hitler taking over the championship, protested. The controversy and ballyhoo led to the even becoming the most anticipated boxing match since the rematch between Dempsey and Gene Tunney, or possibly earlier. Louis, with his poor, African American roots was adopted by American fans as the symbol of America as a land of opportunity. In contrast, Americans perceived Schmeling and his ties to Hitler as an obvious threat to those opportunities and ideals. When Max walked to the ring at Yankee Stadium on June 22, 1938, he did so under a hail of garbage thrown from the stands. Ironically, it was a less humiliating barrage than what he experienced in the ring. Louis came out blazing in the first round and Max tried to counterpunch as he had in the first bout, but to no avail. Driven into the ropes and battered with a fusillade of short, crisp blows from every angle, Max turned his back to his opponent and clutched onto the ropes, letting out a scream that years later many spectators could recall vividly. Schmeling would later claim that he screamed because he had been hit with a blow to the kidneys. Max’s knees buckled under the punishment and referee [[Arthur Donovan]] pushed Louis away, beginning a count on Schmeling. Max reluctantly stepped away from the ropes and Donovan allowed him to continue. A few punches later, Max was laying on the canvas. From then on, he was helpless. He rose but fell moments later and Donovan stopped the fight. 
When he returned to Germany, Schmeling learned that the Nazi propagandists had stopped the radio broadcast of the fight halfway through the first round, embarrassed by Max’s performance. He was now shunned by the Nazis. Forced to continue his career for money, Max managed to win both the German and European heavyweight championships on the same night, with a first round knockout of [[Adolf Heuser]]. As war tensions increased in Europe, and then throughout the world, Max did what he could to silently protest the Nazi regime. During the Nazi purge of Jews from Berlin, he personally saved the lives of two Jewish children by hiding them in his house. He also visited American P.O.W. camps and occasionally tried to help conditions for the prisoners. He remained loyal to his country, however, and, drafted into the Germany Army during the second World War, he served honorably as a paratrooper. After the war, strapped for money, he embarked upon a moderately successful comeback in boxing, winning three of his five bouts with two point defeats before re-entering retirement in 1948. During the 1950s, Schmeling began working for the Coca-Cola Company’s offices in Germany. Before long he owned his own bottling plant and held an executive’s position within the company, making millions of dollars a year. In 1992, he was inducted into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]]. He lived his remaining years as a wealthy man and avid boxing fan, passing away on February 2, 2005 at the age of ninety-nine.

===Sources===
Bak, Richard. [[Joe Louis: The Great Black Hope]]. 1996. 
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Fleischer, Nat and Sam Andre. [[An Illustrated History of Boxing]]. 2001. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed. 2006. 
==Factoids==
 
*Named [[Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year]] for 1930.
*On July 25, 1930, Schmeling was saved from drowning in Lake Scharmnetzel (southeast of Berlin) after his motorboat capsized during a storm. A passing motorist hauled him out of the water.
*Max was the cousin of [[Nick Schmeling]] 

Autobiography: [[Max Schmeling: An Autobiography|''Max Schmeling: An Autobiography'']]

== Outside Links ==
[http://coxscorner.tripod.com/louismax.html The Joe Louis Knockout Punch] 
[http://www.bonus-books.com/bonus/subject/biography/mschmeling.html Autobiography] 
[http://www.ushmm.org/olympics/zcc036c.htm Olympics] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ German Bio] 
[http://www2.tagesspiegel.de/archiv/2001/09/27/ak-sp-6610346.html Another German piece] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ Biografien] 

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Gene Tunney]] Retired|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Jack Sharkey]]|
years=12 Jun 1930– 21 Jun 1932
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:German World Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World War II Veterans|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:2005 Deaths|Schmeling, Max]]

Max Schmeling

2007-10-04T22:04:17Z

Friedie: /* "Low Blow Champion" */

[[file:Schmeling.Max.jpg|left|Max Schmeling]]
<boxer>009041</boxer>
'''Trainer''': [[Max Machon]] 
'''Managers''': Artur Bühlow, [[Joe Jacobs]]

==Career Overview==
In America, he was routinely cast by promoters as the cold-hearted, villainous invader, a puppet of Hitler and a hater of Jews. In Germany, Nazi propagandists portrayed him as a heroic symbol of German destiny and Aryan supremacy. In no way was '''Max Schmeling''' any of these things. He was a quality prizefighter with respectable boxing technique, a solid right hand punch, and a keen intellect. The clash of politics, ideals, and countries that often symbolically accompanied his biggest fights only took place within the perceptions of the audience; they had nothing to do with what happened in the ring. Instead of being respected for his multiple accomplishments in the ring, he spent much of his life derided in America as a Nazi and dismissed in Germany as a disappointment. It was only in his later life that his status as a fighter, apart from his cultural symbolism, could be clearly analyzed.
===Early Years===
Schmeling first became acquainted with boxing as a teenager, when his father took him to watch film of the heavyweight championship match between [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Georges Carpentier]]. Impressed with Dempsey’s performance in that fight, young Schmeling became determined to imitate his new hero. He began boxing in amateur competitions and, by 1924, won Germany’s national amateur title in the light heavyweight division. Shortly thereafter he turned professional. Ironically, though he idolized the raging, brawling Dempsey, Max developed a careful, scientific style of fighting that leant itself more to counterpunching. Using this style, he got off to an impressive – though hardly sensational – start by winning seventeen of his first twenty-three bouts, thirteen by knockout. In 1925 he had the thrill of getting into the ring with Dempsey himself, who was then still heavyweight champion of the world and was touring Europe. Dempsey boxed for two rounds with the then unknown German and, according to a story later told by Schmeling, was greatly impressed. He proved Dempsey’s praises correct on August 24, 1926, when picking up the German light heavyweight championship with a first round knockout of rival [[Max Diekmann]], who had previously beaten Max. The next year, Schmeling won the European championship by stopping [[Fernand Delarge]] in the first boxing match broadcast live in Germany. After defending both titles against [[Hein Domgörgen]] the same year and , in 1928, the European Title with a first round knockout of [[Michele Bonaglia]] he secured the German heavyweight championship with a point victory against [[Franz Diener]] and decided to chase bigger fights and bigger purses in the United States. 
Arriving in New York City for the first time in 1928, Schmeling was hardly noticed by the American fight circles. Considered a stiff European fighter who had padded his record against German and European unknowns, he was given few opportunities to prove himself until he hooked up with American manager [[Joe Jacobs]], a man with the proper talents and connections to move Max’s career along a positive path. Schmeling’s debut in America took place at [[Madison Square Garden]] with an eighth round knockout of [[Joe Monte]], who was not a top flight heavyweight but nonetheless a young American who had been in with some tough competition. Two more victories led to a fight with [[Johnny Risko]], one of the biggest names in the division, though somewhat beyond his prime. On February 1, 1929, Schmeling floored Risko four times with his right hand before the referee halted the contest in the ninth round to save Risko from further punishment. The surprised crowd in attendance roared with appreciation and [[The Ring]] magazine subsequently recognized the win as its “Fight of the Year.”

==="Low Blow Champion" earns reputation in following fights===
Boxing pundits were quickly changing their opinions of the German. When he defeated highly regarded Spaniard [[Paolino Uzcudun]] via fifteen round decision at Yankee Stadium later that year, Max was suddenly regarded as the foremost young contender in the division. With reigning heavyweight champion [[Gene Tunney]] recently retired promoters arranged a matchup between Max and veteran contender [[Jack Sharkey]] to fill the vacancy. On June 12, 1930, at Yankee Stadium, in a fight billed as the “Battle of the Continents,” Schmeling, known as a slow starter, fell slightly behind on points going into the fourth round. Schmeling was trying to corner his opponent when Sharkey let loose with a blow to the body which strayed below the belt line. Max immediately clutched his groin and fell to the canvas, claiming to have been fouled. When manager Jacobs ran into the ring, prompting all kinds of chaos, the confused referee disqualified Sharkey and declared Schmeling the victor and the first (and only) man to win the heavyweight championship on a foul. The New York State Athletic Commission, reviewing the call, agreed. 
The first European-born boxer to win the heavyweight championship in thirty-three years, Max was also the first from Germany to hold the distinction. Still, the way in which he won the title proved an embarrassment. Called the “low blow champion” he was disparaged in both America and Europe as an unproven titleholder. When he initially refused to face Sharkey in a rematch, the [[New York State Athletic Commission]] officially stripped him of their recognition as world champion, but he remained recognized by both the [[National Boxing Association]] and The Ring magazine. Most of the criticism faded after Max’s first defense, an impressive fifteen round t.K.o. over [[Young Stribling]], a future hall of famer with 239 wins to his credit by 1931. In order to solidify his title as undisputed, Max signed a contract to face the Boston Gob once more. On June 21, 1932, the championship picture became even more muddled when Sharkey won a highly controversial split decision, taking the championship. Many in attendance, including Gene Tunney and the mayor of New York, felt that Max had proven himself the better man and was robbed. In losing the championship, the German had managed to elevate his reputation in the minds of boxing fans.

===Walker and Baer===
When Schmeling faced [[Mickey Walker]], the future hall of famer who had recently held Sharkey to a draw that many felt Walker deserved, it was thought that this fight was for the real heavyweight championship. Walker, a former welterweight, was a popular slugger who had won championships in two divisions but was at a considerably size disadvantage against Max. Though Mickey fought bravely and took the lead on points early in the fight, Schmeling showed both boxing ability and punching power in dealing out a terrific beating as the fight progressed. After eight exciting rounds, Walker’s corner threw in the towel, confirming Schmeling’s status as the leading heavyweight in the world. 
With the coming of 1933, however, Schmeling’s image in America began to take a decided turn. In 1932, the Nazi Party became the most powerful political force in Germany and its ideologies, voiced by party leader Adolf Hitler, overflowed with anti-Semitic tendencies. Major American cities such as New York had large Jewish populations who worried over what the party could mean for people of their religion in the future. Schmeling, because he was German, was viewed as an extention of Hitler’s plans for world domination. When Schmeling was slated to fight heavy-hitting contender [[Max Baer]] on June 8, 1933, he immediately became the “bad guy” in the eyes of fans. Baer, who did not practice the Jewish religion but had a Jewish grandfather, came into the ring wearing the Star of David on his shorts. Promoter Jack Dempsey played up this angle and suddenly the fight was viewed as Baer defending his faith against the prejudice of the Nazis, represented reluctantly by Schmeling. Thrown off of his game in part by the bad publicity, but also because of Baer’s wild, brawling style and frequent fouls (including backhand punches and rabbit punches), Schmeling was positively thrashed after ten rounds before nearly 60,000 onlookers at Yankee Stadium. While the German took a vicious battering against the ropes in the tenth, the referee leapt in to stop the fight. The embarrassing fight, combined with a follow-up loss to contender [[Steve Hamas]] early the next year, left many wondering if Schmeling was still a world class fighter.

===Dismantling the Bomber===
Returning to his native Germany, Max won three of his next four fights, with one draw, including knockout wins over [[Walter Neusel]] and [[Steve Hamas]]. His opponents were of an impressive caliber, but many among the American press and fans remained unmoved on the idea of rooting for Schmeling in light of the Nazi Party’s behavior. Articles continued to be published declaring the German “washed up,” a “has been,” or a “Nazi puppet.” When he was matched with undefeated African American sensation [[Joe Louis]] in 1936 for Max’s first fight on American soil in more than two years, he was clearly the betting underdog, considered a name opponent for Louis to roll over on his route to the title, nevertheless he was number two contender for the title behind Louis. Prior to the match, Schmeling carefully studied films of Louis’ prior fights, dissecting apparent flaws in the Detroit fighter’s technique. Among the weaknesses he noticed was the fact that Louis lowered his left hand after throwing a left jab. In the ring, Max exploited this subtle flaw to his own advantage, countering nearly every Louis jab with his best punch, the right cross. The fight proved to be a competitive, hard-hitting affair for the first three rounds, but, in the fourth, a counter right from the German dropped Louis for the first time in his career. Though Louis rose, he was badly dazed for the remainder of the fight and Schmeling subsequently delivered the finest performance of his career. For a further eight rounds he battered Louis, often standing toe-to-toe with the vaunted puncher and landing that same right hand to the jaw repeatedly. In the twelfth he sent Joe tumbling to the floor once more, and this time Louis could not recover. He was counted out on the floor and Schmeling had scored the most talked-about sports upset of the year. 
Now the unexpected number one contender for the heavyweight crown held by [[Jim Braddock]], Schmeling looked forward to his chance to regain the title as first Heavyweight ever, scheduled for that September. The fight was postponed, however, when Braddock injured his hand in training. Rumors existed that the fight’s organizers were stalling, afraid of the negative publicity that would be generated over a perceived Nazi getting a shot at the world’s title. When it was confirmed that Braddock’s managers were in talks with the Louis camp, the New York Commission officially released an order for Braddock to fight Schmeling for the title. Any other fight, with Louis or otherwise, would not be recognized by New York as being for the championship. The [[Madison Square Garden Corporation]], the largest promotional company in the sport at the time, even attempted to get a legal injunction against a Braddock-Louis fight (Louis was not on their roster). Nonetheless, in February in 1937, Schmeling received the bad news that the champion had indeed singed to defend his championship against Louis. A furious Max protested, but to no avail and was forced to watch from ringside as Louis knocked Braddock out and gained the championship.
Sorely disappointed and convinced that he would never receive his chance at redemption, Schmeling fought just once more in America, an eighth round knockout of future contender [[Harry Thomas]], before returning to Germany. In his native land, Schmeling was regarded as a hero and promoted by the Nazi propaganda machine as a perfect example of German supremacy over the rest of the world by virtue of his stunning defeat of the current champion, Louis. The government ordered parades and rallies in his honor. He became a friend to Hitler and other powerful figures in the government and also a popular subject of newspaper articles and films. He continued to press for a chance at a rematch with Louis and in the meantime padded his record against overmatched fighters [[Ben Foord]] and [[Steve Dudas]].

==="Battle of the Century"===
In 1938, champion Joe Louis announced that he would indeed face Schmeling for the title. The rematch became an instant international sensation. Many clamored impatiently for its happening, but others, afraid of international tensions and the possibility of Hitler taking over the championship, protested. The controversy and ballyhoo led to the even becoming the most anticipated boxing match since the rematch between Dempsey and Gene Tunney, or possibly earlier. Louis, with his poor, African American roots was adopted by American fans as the symbol of America as a land of opportunity. In contrast, Americans perceived Schmeling and his ties to Hitler as an obvious threat to those opportunities and ideals. When Max walked to the ring at Yankee Stadium on June 22, 1938, he did so under a hail of garbage thrown from the stands. Ironically, it was a less humiliating barrage than what he experienced in the ring. Louis came out blazing in the first round and Max tried to counterpunch as he had in the first bout, but to no avail. Driven into the ropes and battered with a fusillade of short, crisp blows from every angle, Max turned his back to his opponent and clutched onto the ropes, letting out a scream that years later many spectators could recall vividly. Schmeling would later claim that he screamed because he had been hit with a blow to the kidneys. Max’s knees buckled under the punishment and referee [[Arthur Donovan]] pushed Louis away, beginning a count on Schmeling. Max reluctantly stepped away from the ropes and Donovan allowed him to continue. A few punches later, Max was laying on the canvas. From then on, he was helpless. He rose but fell moments later and Donovan stopped the fight. 
When he returned to Germany, Schmeling learned that the Nazi propagandists had stopped the radio broadcast of the fight halfway through the first round, embarrassed by Max’s performance. He was now shunned by the Nazis. Forced to continue his career for money, Max managed to win both the German and European heavyweight championships on the same night, with a first round knockout of [[Adolf Heuser]]. As war tensions increased in Europe, and then throughout the world, Max did what he could to silently protest the Nazi regime. During the Nazi purge of Jews from Berlin, he personally saved the lives of two Jewish children by hiding them in his house. He also visited American P.O.W. camps and occasionally tried to help conditions for the prisoners. He remained loyal to his country, however, and, drafted into the Germany Army during the second World War, he served honorably as a paratrooper. After the war, strapped for money, he embarked upon a moderately successful comeback in boxing, winning three of his five bouts with two point defeats before re-entering retirement in 1948. During the 1950s, Schmeling began working for the Coca-Cola Company’s offices in Germany. Before long he owned his own bottling plant and held an executive’s position within the company, making millions of dollars a year. In 1992, he was inducted into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]]. He lived his remaining years as a wealthy man and avid boxing fan, passing away on February 2, 2005 at the age of ninety-nine.

===Sources===
Bak, Richard. [[Joe Louis: The Great Black Hope]]. 1996. 
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Fleischer, Nat and Sam Andre. [[An Illustrated History of Boxing]]. 2001. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed. 2006. 
==Factoids==
 
*Named [[Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year]] for 1930.
*On July 25, 1930, Schmeling was saved from drowning in Lake Scharmnetzel (southeast of Berlin) after his motorboat capsized during a storm. A passing motorist hauled him out of the water.
*Max was the cousin of [[Nick Schmeling]] 

Autobiography: [[Max Schmeling: An Autobiography|''Max Schmeling: An Autobiography'']]

== Outside Links ==
[http://coxscorner.tripod.com/louismax.html The Joe Louis Knockout Punch] 
[http://www.bonus-books.com/bonus/subject/biography/mschmeling.html Autobiography] 
[http://www.ushmm.org/olympics/zcc036c.htm Olympics] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ German Bio] 
[http://www2.tagesspiegel.de/archiv/2001/09/27/ak-sp-6610346.html Another German piece] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ Biografien] 

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Gene Tunney]] Retired|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Jack Sharkey]]|
years=12 Jun 1930– 21 Jun 1932
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:German World Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World War II Veterans|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:2005 Deaths|Schmeling, Max]]

Max Schmeling

2007-10-04T22:02:06Z

Friedie:

[[file:Schmeling.Max.jpg|left|Max Schmeling]]
<boxer>009041</boxer>
'''Trainer''': [[Max Machon]] 
'''Managers''': Artur Bühlow, [[Joe Jacobs]]

==Career Overview==
In America, he was routinely cast by promoters as the cold-hearted, villainous invader, a puppet of Hitler and a hater of Jews. In Germany, Nazi propagandists portrayed him as a heroic symbol of German destiny and Aryan supremacy. In no way was '''Max Schmeling''' any of these things. He was a quality prizefighter with respectable boxing technique, a solid right hand punch, and a keen intellect. The clash of politics, ideals, and countries that often symbolically accompanied his biggest fights only took place within the perceptions of the audience; they had nothing to do with what happened in the ring. Instead of being respected for his multiple accomplishments in the ring, he spent much of his life derided in America as a Nazi and dismissed in Germany as a disappointment. It was only in his later life that his status as a fighter, apart from his cultural symbolism, could be clearly analyzed.
===Early Years===
Schmeling first became acquainted with boxing as a teenager, when his father took him to watch film of the heavyweight championship match between [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Georges Carpentier]]. Impressed with Dempsey’s performance in that fight, young Schmeling became determined to imitate his new hero. He began boxing in amateur competitions and, by 1924, won Germany’s national amateur title in the light heavyweight division. Shortly thereafter he turned professional. Ironically, though he idolized the raging, brawling Dempsey, Max developed a careful, scientific style of fighting that leant itself more to counterpunching. Using this style, he got off to an impressive – though hardly sensational – start by winning seventeen of his first twenty-three bouts, thirteen by knockout. In 1925 he had the thrill of getting into the ring with Dempsey himself, who was then still heavyweight champion of the world and was touring Europe. Dempsey boxed for two rounds with the then unknown German and, according to a story later told by Schmeling, was greatly impressed. He proved Dempsey’s praises correct on August 24, 1926, when picking up the German light heavyweight championship with a first round knockout of rival [[Max Diekmann]], who had previously beaten Max. The next year, Schmeling won the European championship by stopping [[Fernand Delarge]] in the first boxing match broadcast live in Germany. After defending both titles against [[Hein Domgörgen]] the same year and , in 1928, the European Title with a first round knockout of [[Michele Bonaglia]] he secured the German heavyweight championship with a point victory against [[Franz Diener]] and decided to chase bigger fights and bigger purses in the United States. 
Arriving in New York City for the first time in 1928, Schmeling was hardly noticed by the American fight circles. Considered a stiff European fighter who had padded his record against German and European unknowns, he was given few opportunities to prove himself until he hooked up with American manager [[Joe Jacobs]], a man with the proper talents and connections to move Max’s career along a positive path. Schmeling’s debut in America took place at [[Madison Square Garden]] with an eighth round knockout of [[Joe Monte]], who was not a top flight heavyweight but nonetheless a young American who had been in with some tough competition. Two more victories led to a fight with [[Johnny Risko]], one of the biggest names in the division, though somewhat beyond his prime. On February 1, 1929, Schmeling floored Risko four times with his right hand before the referee halted the contest in the ninth round to save Risko from further punishment. The surprised crowd in attendance roared with appreciation and [[The Ring]] magazine subsequently recognized the win as its “Fight of the Year.”

==="Low Blow Champion"===
Boxing pundits were quickly changing their opinions of the German. When he defeated highly regarded Spaniard [[Paolino Uzcudun]] via fifteen round decision at Yankee Stadium later that year, Max was suddenly regarded as the foremost young contender in the division. With reigning heavyweight champion [[Gene Tunney]] recently retired promoters arranged a matchup between Max and veteran contender [[Jack Sharkey]] to fill the vacancy. On June 12, 1930, at Yankee Stadium, in a fight billed as the “Battle of the Continents,” Schmeling, known as a slow starter, fell slightly behind on points going into the fourth round. Schmeling was trying to corner his opponent when Sharkey let loose with a blow to the body which strayed below the belt line. Max immediately clutched his groin and fell to the canvas, claiming to have been fouled. When manager Jacobs ran into the ring, prompting all kinds of chaos, the confused referee disqualified Sharkey and declared Schmeling the victor and the first (and only) man to win the heavyweight championship on a foul. The New York State Athletic Commission, reviewing the call, agreed. 
The first European-born boxer to win the heavyweight championship in thirty-three years, Max was also the first from Germany to hold the distinction. Still, the way in which he won the title proved an embarrassment. Called the “low blow champion” he was disparaged in both America and Europe as an unproven titleholder. When he initially refused to face Sharkey in a rematch, the [[New York State Athletic Commission]] officially stripped him of their recognition as world champion, but he remained recognized by both the [[National Boxing Association]] and The Ring magazine. Most of the criticism faded after Max’s first defense, an impressive fifteen round t.K.o. over [[Young Stribling]], a future hall of famer with 239 wins to his credit by 1931. In order to solidify his title as undisputed, Max signed a contract to face the Boston Gob once more. On June 21, 1932, the championship picture became even more muddled when Sharkey won a highly controversial split decision, taking the championship. Many in attendance, including Gene Tunney and the mayor of New York, felt that Max had proven himself the better man and was robbed. In losing the championship, the German had managed to elevate his reputation in the minds of boxing fans.

===Walker and Baer===
When Schmeling faced [[Mickey Walker]], the future hall of famer who had recently held Sharkey to a draw that many felt Walker deserved, it was thought that this fight was for the real heavyweight championship. Walker, a former welterweight, was a popular slugger who had won championships in two divisions but was at a considerably size disadvantage against Max. Though Mickey fought bravely and took the lead on points early in the fight, Schmeling showed both boxing ability and punching power in dealing out a terrific beating as the fight progressed. After eight exciting rounds, Walker’s corner threw in the towel, confirming Schmeling’s status as the leading heavyweight in the world. 
With the coming of 1933, however, Schmeling’s image in America began to take a decided turn. In 1932, the Nazi Party became the most powerful political force in Germany and its ideologies, voiced by party leader Adolf Hitler, overflowed with anti-Semitic tendencies. Major American cities such as New York had large Jewish populations who worried over what the party could mean for people of their religion in the future. Schmeling, because he was German, was viewed as an extention of Hitler’s plans for world domination. When Schmeling was slated to fight heavy-hitting contender [[Max Baer]] on June 8, 1933, he immediately became the “bad guy” in the eyes of fans. Baer, who did not practice the Jewish religion but had a Jewish grandfather, came into the ring wearing the Star of David on his shorts. Promoter Jack Dempsey played up this angle and suddenly the fight was viewed as Baer defending his faith against the prejudice of the Nazis, represented reluctantly by Schmeling. Thrown off of his game in part by the bad publicity, but also because of Baer’s wild, brawling style and frequent fouls (including backhand punches and rabbit punches), Schmeling was positively thrashed after ten rounds before nearly 60,000 onlookers at Yankee Stadium. While the German took a vicious battering against the ropes in the tenth, the referee leapt in to stop the fight. The embarrassing fight, combined with a follow-up loss to contender [[Steve Hamas]] early the next year, left many wondering if Schmeling was still a world class fighter.

===Dismantling the Bomber===
Returning to his native Germany, Max won three of his next four fights, with one draw, including knockout wins over [[Walter Neusel]] and [[Steve Hamas]]. His opponents were of an impressive caliber, but many among the American press and fans remained unmoved on the idea of rooting for Schmeling in light of the Nazi Party’s behavior. Articles continued to be published declaring the German “washed up,” a “has been,” or a “Nazi puppet.” When he was matched with undefeated African American sensation [[Joe Louis]] in 1936 for Max’s first fight on American soil in more than two years, he was clearly the betting underdog, considered a name opponent for Louis to roll over on his route to the title, nevertheless he was number two contender for the title behind Louis. Prior to the match, Schmeling carefully studied films of Louis’ prior fights, dissecting apparent flaws in the Detroit fighter’s technique. Among the weaknesses he noticed was the fact that Louis lowered his left hand after throwing a left jab. In the ring, Max exploited this subtle flaw to his own advantage, countering nearly every Louis jab with his best punch, the right cross. The fight proved to be a competitive, hard-hitting affair for the first three rounds, but, in the fourth, a counter right from the German dropped Louis for the first time in his career. Though Louis rose, he was badly dazed for the remainder of the fight and Schmeling subsequently delivered the finest performance of his career. For a further eight rounds he battered Louis, often standing toe-to-toe with the vaunted puncher and landing that same right hand to the jaw repeatedly. In the twelfth he sent Joe tumbling to the floor once more, and this time Louis could not recover. He was counted out on the floor and Schmeling had scored the most talked-about sports upset of the year. 
Now the unexpected number one contender for the heavyweight crown held by [[Jim Braddock]], Schmeling looked forward to his chance to regain the title as first Heavyweight ever, scheduled for that September. The fight was postponed, however, when Braddock injured his hand in training. Rumors existed that the fight’s organizers were stalling, afraid of the negative publicity that would be generated over a perceived Nazi getting a shot at the world’s title. When it was confirmed that Braddock’s managers were in talks with the Louis camp, the New York Commission officially released an order for Braddock to fight Schmeling for the title. Any other fight, with Louis or otherwise, would not be recognized by New York as being for the championship. The [[Madison Square Garden Corporation]], the largest promotional company in the sport at the time, even attempted to get a legal injunction against a Braddock-Louis fight (Louis was not on their roster). Nonetheless, in February in 1937, Schmeling received the bad news that the champion had indeed singed to defend his championship against Louis. A furious Max protested, but to no avail and was forced to watch from ringside as Louis knocked Braddock out and gained the championship.
Sorely disappointed and convinced that he would never receive his chance at redemption, Schmeling fought just once more in America, an eighth round knockout of future contender [[Harry Thomas]], before returning to Germany. In his native land, Schmeling was regarded as a hero and promoted by the Nazi propaganda machine as a perfect example of German supremacy over the rest of the world by virtue of his stunning defeat of the current champion, Louis. The government ordered parades and rallies in his honor. He became a friend to Hitler and other powerful figures in the government and also a popular subject of newspaper articles and films. He continued to press for a chance at a rematch with Louis and in the meantime padded his record against overmatched fighters [[Ben Foord]] and [[Steve Dudas]].

==="Battle of the Century"===
In 1938, champion Joe Louis announced that he would indeed face Schmeling for the title. The rematch became an instant international sensation. Many clamored impatiently for its happening, but others, afraid of international tensions and the possibility of Hitler taking over the championship, protested. The controversy and ballyhoo led to the even becoming the most anticipated boxing match since the rematch between Dempsey and Gene Tunney, or possibly earlier. Louis, with his poor, African American roots was adopted by American fans as the symbol of America as a land of opportunity. In contrast, Americans perceived Schmeling and his ties to Hitler as an obvious threat to those opportunities and ideals. When Max walked to the ring at Yankee Stadium on June 22, 1938, he did so under a hail of garbage thrown from the stands. Ironically, it was a less humiliating barrage than what he experienced in the ring. Louis came out blazing in the first round and Max tried to counterpunch as he had in the first bout, but to no avail. Driven into the ropes and battered with a fusillade of short, crisp blows from every angle, Max turned his back to his opponent and clutched onto the ropes, letting out a scream that years later many spectators could recall vividly. Schmeling would later claim that he screamed because he had been hit with a blow to the kidneys. Max’s knees buckled under the punishment and referee [[Arthur Donovan]] pushed Louis away, beginning a count on Schmeling. Max reluctantly stepped away from the ropes and Donovan allowed him to continue. A few punches later, Max was laying on the canvas. From then on, he was helpless. He rose but fell moments later and Donovan stopped the fight. 
When he returned to Germany, Schmeling learned that the Nazi propagandists had stopped the radio broadcast of the fight halfway through the first round, embarrassed by Max’s performance. He was now shunned by the Nazis. Forced to continue his career for money, Max managed to win both the German and European heavyweight championships on the same night, with a first round knockout of [[Adolf Heuser]]. As war tensions increased in Europe, and then throughout the world, Max did what he could to silently protest the Nazi regime. During the Nazi purge of Jews from Berlin, he personally saved the lives of two Jewish children by hiding them in his house. He also visited American P.O.W. camps and occasionally tried to help conditions for the prisoners. He remained loyal to his country, however, and, drafted into the Germany Army during the second World War, he served honorably as a paratrooper. After the war, strapped for money, he embarked upon a moderately successful comeback in boxing, winning three of his five bouts with two point defeats before re-entering retirement in 1948. During the 1950s, Schmeling began working for the Coca-Cola Company’s offices in Germany. Before long he owned his own bottling plant and held an executive’s position within the company, making millions of dollars a year. In 1992, he was inducted into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]]. He lived his remaining years as a wealthy man and avid boxing fan, passing away on February 2, 2005 at the age of ninety-nine.

===Sources===
Bak, Richard. [[Joe Louis: The Great Black Hope]]. 1996. 
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Fleischer, Nat and Sam Andre. [[An Illustrated History of Boxing]]. 2001. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed. 2006. 
==Factoids==
 
*Named [[Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year]] for 1930.
*On July 25, 1930, Schmeling was saved from drowning in Lake Scharmnetzel (southeast of Berlin) after his motorboat capsized during a storm. A passing motorist hauled him out of the water.
*Max was the cousin of [[Nick Schmeling]] 

Autobiography: [[Max Schmeling: An Autobiography|''Max Schmeling: An Autobiography'']]

== Outside Links ==
[http://coxscorner.tripod.com/louismax.html The Joe Louis Knockout Punch] 
[http://www.bonus-books.com/bonus/subject/biography/mschmeling.html Autobiography] 
[http://www.ushmm.org/olympics/zcc036c.htm Olympics] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ German Bio] 
[http://www2.tagesspiegel.de/archiv/2001/09/27/ak-sp-6610346.html Another German piece] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ Biografien] 

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Gene Tunney]] Retired|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Jack Sharkey]]|
years=12 Jun 1930– 21 Jun 1932
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:German World Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World War II Veterans|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:2005 Deaths|Schmeling, Max]]

Jack Sharkey

2007-10-04T21:58:35Z

Friedie: /* World Champion */

[[file:Sharkey.Jack.jpg|left|Jack Sharkey]]
<boxer>010616</boxer>
'''Division''': Heavyweight 
'''Trainer''': [[Tony Polazzolo]] 
'''Manager''': [[Johnny Buckley]] 
Annotated [http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=010616 Fight Record] 
[http://www.sports.nd.edu/exhibits/winkexhibit/SharkeyJ.710-33-33.jpg Photo] (with megaphone)

 

== Biography ==
[[file:Sharkey.Jack3.jpg|right|150px|Jack Sharkey]]
===Overview===
A fast and well-schooled fighter with no lack of heart and determination, Jack Sharkey is nonetheless overshadowed by the other heavyweight champions of his era. Sharkey’s indefatigable willingness to fight any opponent is best illustrated by his distinction in being the only man to have faced both [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Joe Louis]] in prizefights. Though he consistently fought the best, Jack did not always win when up against the true upper crust of the division. In fact, his finest performances are perhaps his losses to Dempsey and [[Max Schmeling]]. Outspoken about his own confidence in his abilities and often surly or uncooperative in business, Jack had the talent to back up his ego. He remained a constant presence at or near the top of the heavyweight division for nearly a decade and solidified in his place in boxing lore by becoming heavyweight champion.
===Early Years===
Born Joseph Paul Zukauskas, the son of Lithuanian immigrants, Sharkey was born in Binghamton, New York but moved to Boston, Massachusetts as a young man. Sources report little of his early life until, at the outset of the First World War, teenaged Joseph repeatedly tried to enlist in the Navy. Turned down because of his age, he was not able to enlist until after the end of the war. It was during his tenure in the Navy that he first showed interest in boxing. Tall and husky for a man of his generation, Joseph (or “Big Skee” as he was nicknamed at the time) was encouraged by his friends in the service to box. He quickly established notoriety as the best boxer aboard any vessel on which he served. During his brief returns home to Boston he took part in his first fights for pay, the first taking place on January 24, 1924 against one [[Billy Muldoon]], who was dispatched inside of a round. By the time of his honorable discharge just short of a month later, he had won a second fight and was already earning write ups in the Boston papers. 
Having found himself a manager and now focused entirely on his career as a prizefighter, young Zukauskus decided to adopt a more publicity-friendly stage name. He decided upon Jack Sharkey, combining the names of two of his idols, heavyweight boxing icons [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Tom Sharkey]]. Jack met with moderate success in his first two years of fighting mainly in the Boston area. Though he did not always win his early bouts, he routinely fought reputable opponents with vast experience advantages over him. As a result, his technique improved quickly, as was displayed in his 1926 New York City debut, fought at no less a venue than [[Madison Square Garden]]. His opponent, [[Eddie Huffman]], was no contender but was still a favorite over the Bostonian. The unknown Sharkey boxed well enough over ten rounds to take the decision and earn notice in fight circles as an up-and-coming heavyweight. Five follow-up wins led to a match with future hall of famer [[Harry Wills]], who was considered at the time to be the fighter all of the top heavyweights made a point to avoid. To the surprise of many, Sharkey clearly outboxed the veteran Wills who retaliated with an illegal backhand blow that got him disqualified in the thirteenth round. It was Wills’ first defeat in four years and Jack Sharkey was now a major contender for [[Gene Tunney|Gene Tunney’s]] heavyweight championship.
===Dempsey and Schmeling===
To start off 1927, Jack stopped former light heavyweight champ [[Mike McTigue]] in twelve rounds and then Boston rival [[Jim Maloney]] in five. Then it was on to a match with his own idol, former champion Jack Dempsey. The winner was scheduled to meet Tunney for the title. On July 21, 1927 at Yankee Stadium in New York, Sharkey proved too fast and too hungry for the aging and rusty Manassa Mauler. He clearly outboxed Dempsey and was amassing a wide points lead going into the seventh round when, believing himself to have been fowled by a low blow from Dempsey, Jack turned to the referee to complain. At the very moment, Dempsey landed a classic left hook directly to Sharkey’s chin. Sharkey, who had dropped his guard when complaining to the referee, immediately fell forward onto the canvas and was counted out while clutching his groin and moaning in agony. Though Dempsey supporters rallied around the technicality that a fighter should protect himself at all times, many who left that night felt that Sharkey had proven himself Dempsey’s master, loss or no. 
It was no wonder then that, over the next couple of years, Sharkey continued to be respected as one of the most consistent performers in the division. He held future title challenger [[Tom Heeney]] to a twelve round draw, dropped a decision to highly regarded Johnny Risko, and then rebounded with seven consecutive wins against impressive competition. In 1929 he proved especially successful, beating both [[Young Stribling]] and [[Tommy Loughran]], two future hall of famers who had a combined 296 wins to their credit when Jack fought them. Thus, after Tunney retired, Sharkey was a shoe-in to fight for the vacated world championship. His opponent would be Germany’s [[Max Schmeling]], a little-known counter puncher whose record lacked the big names evident on Sharkey’s. On June 12, 1930, in his first fight for the title, Jack again exhibited terrific boxing ability and appeared to have control of the fight going into the fourth round. In that round, he landed what appeared to be a low blow on Schmeling, who fell to his knees howling that he had been fouled. When Schmeling’s manager broke into the ring, chaos ensued and the panicked referee disqualified Sharkey.
===World Champion===
Still determined to prove himself in the best in the world, Sharkey next took on [[Mickey Walker]], the popular brawler and former two-division champion who was moving up in weight in hopes of winning the heavyweight title. In an admittedly close fight in which Sharkey scored the only knockdown, the judges ruled the fight a draw. Then he moved from having a considerable size advantage against Walker to being at a decided size disadvantage against Italy’s [[Primo Carnera]] on October 12, 1931. Carnera stood over six and a half feet tall and weighed two hundred and sixty one pounds, but had none of the technique of a clever boxer like Sharkey. Jack boxed rings around the “Ambling Alp,” scored a knockdown in the fourth, walked away with a decision after fifteen rounds, and earned himself a second shot at Schmeling. 
Max Schmeling was still the heavyweight champion of the world when the pair fought their rematch at Madison Square Garden on June 21, 1932. This time Sharkey emerged the victor and new champion, winning a fifteen round split decision. But again success came with bitterness. Many in the crowd felt that Schmeling had gotten the better of the action and the Garden echoed with chants of “robbery.” Plans for a rematch were ruined when Schmeling lost his 1933 fight to big, hard-hitting [[Max Baer]]. So the new champion, supposedly under pressure from mob figures, decided to face Primo Carnera once more on June 29, 1933. Though he again proved Primo’s superior in speed and skill, Jack was rendered unconscious by a huge right uppercut directly below his jaw in the sixth round. Afterward, the press surged with accusations about Sharkey taking a dive, though the man himself denied such rumors to his dying day.

===Later Years===
After incurring two more losses before the close of 1933, Sharkey was considered by many to be a shot fighter. He took an entire year off before returning in 1935. In his next four fights, all against mediocre opposition, Sharkey could only manage two wins. He was then placed in the ring as a name opponent for up-and-coming sensation [[Joe Louis]] on August 18, 1936. Floored four times inside of three rounds before suffering a knockout, Jack never fought professionally again. In retirement, he owned a bar, often worked as a referee, and often earned money from various personal appearances. He died on August 17, 1994 at the age of 91, just months after his induction into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]].
===Sources===
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Johnston, Alexander. [[Ten and Out]] 1943. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed.2006.

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Max Schmeling]]|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Primo Carnera]]|
years=21 Jun 1932– 29 Jun 1933
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Sharkey, Jack]]
[[Category:American World Champions|Sharkey, Jack]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Sharkey, Jack]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Sharkey, Jack]]
[[Category:Lithuanian American Boxers|Sharkey, Paul]]

Max Schmeling

2007-10-04T21:54:16Z

Friedie: /* "Low Blow Champion" */

[[file:Schmeling.Max.jpg|left|Max Schmeling]]
<boxer>009041</boxer>
'''Trainer''': [[Max Machon]] 
'''Managers''': Max Machon, [[Joe Jacobs]]

==Career Overview==
In America, he was routinely cast by promoters as the cold-hearted, villainous invader, a puppet of Hitler and a hater of Jews. In Germany, Nazi propagandists portrayed him as a heroic symbol of German destiny and Aryan supremacy. In no way was '''Max Schmeling''' any of these things. He was a quality prizefighter with respectable boxing technique, a solid right hand punch, and a keen intellect. The clash of politics, ideals, and countries that often symbolically accompanied his biggest fights only took place within the perceptions of the audience; they had nothing to do with what happened in the ring. Instead of being respected for his multiple accomplishments in the ring, he spent much of his life derided in America as a Nazi and dismissed in Germany as a disappointment. It was only in his later life that his status as a fighter, apart from his cultural symbolism, could be clearly analyzed.
===Early Years===
Schmeling first became acquainted with boxing as a teenager, when his father took him to watch film of the heavyweight championship match between [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Georges Carpentier]]. Impressed with Dempsey’s performance in that fight, young Schmeling became determined to imitate his new hero. He began boxing in amateur competitions and, by 1924, won Germany’s national amateur title in the light heavyweight division. Shortly thereafter he turned professional. Ironically, though he idolized the raging, brawling Dempsey, Max developed a careful, scientific style of fighting that leant itself more to counterpunching. Using this style, he got off to an impressive – though hardly sensational – start by winning seventeen of his first twenty-three bouts, thirteen by knockout. In 1925 he had the thrill of getting into the ring with Dempsey himself, who was then still heavyweight champion of the world and was touring Europe. Dempsey boxed for two rounds with the then unknown German and, according to a story later told by Schmeling, was greatly impressed. He proved Dempsey’s praises correct on August 24, 1926, when picking up the German light heavyweight championship with a first round knockout of rival [[Max Diekmann]], who had previously beaten Max. The next year, Schmeling won the European championship by stopping [[Fernand Delarge]] in the first boxing match broadcast live in Germany. After defending both titles against [[Hein Domgörgen]] the same year and , in 1928, the European Title with a first round knockout of [[Michele Bonaglia]] he secured the German heavyweight championship with a point victory against [[Franz Diener]] and decided to chase bigger fights and bigger purses in the United States. 
Arriving in New York City for the first time in 1928, Schmeling was hardly noticed by the American fight circles. Considered a stiff European fighter who had padded his record against German and European unknowns, he was given few opportunities to prove himself until he hooked up with American manager [[Joe Jacobs]], a man with the proper talents and connections to move Max’s career along a positive path. Schmeling’s debut in America took place at [[Madison Square Garden]] with an eighth round knockout of [[Joe Monte]], who was not a top flight heavyweight but nonetheless a young American who had been in with some tough competition. Two more victories led to a fight with [[Johnny Risko]], one of the biggest names in the division, though somewhat beyond his prime. On February 1, 1929, Schmeling floored Risko four times with his right hand before the referee halted the contest in the ninth round to save Risko from further punishment. The surprised crowd in attendance roared with appreciation and [[The Ring]] magazine subsequently recognized the win as its “Fight of the Year.”

==="Low Blow Champion"===
Boxing pundits were quickly changing their opinions of the German. When he defeated highly regarded Spaniard [[Paolino Uzcudun]] via fifteen round decision at Yankee Stadium later that year, Max was suddenly regarded as the foremost young contender in the division. With reigning heavyweight champion [[Gene Tunney]] recently retired promoters arranged a matchup between Max and veteran contender [[Jack Sharkey]] to fill the vacancy. On June 12, 1930, at Yankee Stadium, in a fight billed as the “Battle of the Continents,” Schmeling, known as a slow starter, fell slightly behind on points going into the fourth round. Schmeling was trying to corner his opponent when Sharkey let loose with a blow to the body which strayed below the belt line. Max immediately clutched his groin and fell to the canvas, claiming to have been fouled. When manager Jacobs ran into the ring, prompting all kinds of chaos, the confused referee disqualified Sharkey and declared Schmeling the victor and the first (and only) man to win the heavyweight championship on a foul. The New York State Athletic Commission, reviewing the call, agreed. 
The first European-born boxer to win the heavyweight championship in thirty-three years, Max was also the first from Germany to hold the distinction. Still, the way in which he won the title proved an embarrassment. Called the “low blow champion” he was disparaged in both America and Europe as an unproven titleholder. When he initially refused to face Sharkey in a rematch, the [[New York State Athletic Commission]] officially stripped him of their recognition as world champion, but he remained recognized by both the [[National Boxing Association]] and The Ring magazine. Most of the criticism faded after Max’s first defense, an impressive fifteen round t.K.o. over [[Young Stribling]], a future hall of famer with 239 wins to his credit by 1931. In order to solidify his title as undisputed, Max signed a contract to face the Boston Gob once more. On June 21, 1932, the championship picture became even more muddled when Sharkey won a highly controversial split decision, taking the championship. Many in attendance, including Gene Tunney and the mayor of New York, felt that Max had proven himself the better man and was robbed. In losing the championship, the German had managed to elevate his reputation in the minds of boxing fans.

===Walker and Baer===
When Schmeling faced [[Mickey Walker]], the future hall of famer who had recently held Sharkey to a draw that many felt Walker deserved, it was thought that this fight was for the real heavyweight championship. Walker, a former welterweight, was a popular slugger who had won championships in two divisions but was at a considerably size disadvantage against Max. Though Mickey fought bravely and took the lead on points early in the fight, Schmeling showed both boxing ability and punching power in dealing out a terrific beating as the fight progressed. After eight exciting rounds, Walker’s corner threw in the towel, confirming Schmeling’s status as the leading heavyweight in the world. 
With the coming of 1933, however, Schmeling’s image in America began to take a decided turn. In 1932, the Nazi Party became the most powerful political force in Germany and its ideologies, voiced by party leader Adolf Hitler, overflowed with anti-Semitic tendencies. Major American cities such as New York had large Jewish populations who worried over what the party could mean for people of their religion in the future. Schmeling, because he was German, was viewed as an extention of Hitler’s plans for world domination. When Schmeling was slated to fight heavy-hitting contender [[Max Baer]] on June 8, 1933, he immediately became the “bad guy” in the eyes of fans. Baer, who did not practice the Jewish religion but had a Jewish grandfather, came into the ring wearing the Star of David on his shorts. Promoter Jack Dempsey played up this angle and suddenly the fight was viewed as Baer defending his faith against the prejudice of the Nazis, represented reluctantly by Schmeling. Thrown off of his game in part by the bad publicity, but also because of Baer’s wild, brawling style and frequent fouls (including backhand punches and rabbit punches), Schmeling was positively thrashed after ten rounds before nearly 60,000 onlookers at Yankee Stadium. While the German took a vicious battering against the ropes in the tenth, the referee leapt in to stop the fight. The embarrassing fight, combined with a follow-up loss to contender [[Steve Hamas]] early the next year, left many wondering if Schmeling was still a world class fighter.

===Dismantling the Bomber===
Returning to his native Germany, Max won three of his next four fights, with one draw, including knockout wins over [[Walter Neusel]] and [[Steve Hamas]]. His opponents were of an impressive caliber, but many among the American press and fans remained unmoved on the idea of rooting for Schmeling in light of the Nazi Party’s behavior. Articles continued to be published declaring the German “washed up,” a “has been,” or a “Nazi puppet.” When he was matched with undefeated African American sensation [[Joe Louis]] in 1936 for Max’s first fight on American soil in more than two years, he was clearly the betting underdog, considered a name opponent for Louis to roll over on his route to the title, nevertheless he was number two contender for the title behind Louis. Prior to the match, Schmeling carefully studied films of Louis’ prior fights, dissecting apparent flaws in the Detroit fighter’s technique. Among the weaknesses he noticed was the fact that Louis lowered his left hand after throwing a left jab. In the ring, Max exploited this subtle flaw to his own advantage, countering nearly every Louis jab with his best punch, the right cross. The fight proved to be a competitive, hard-hitting affair for the first three rounds, but, in the fourth, a counter right from the German dropped Louis for the first time in his career. Though Louis rose, he was badly dazed for the remainder of the fight and Schmeling subsequently delivered the finest performance of his career. For a further eight rounds he battered Louis, often standing toe-to-toe with the vaunted puncher and landing that same right hand to the jaw repeatedly. In the twelfth he sent Joe tumbling to the floor once more, and this time Louis could not recover. He was counted out on the floor and Schmeling had scored the most talked-about sports upset of the year. 
Now the unexpected number one contender for the heavyweight crown held by [[Jim Braddock]], Schmeling looked forward to his chance to regain the title as first Heavyweight ever, scheduled for that September. The fight was postponed, however, when Braddock injured his hand in training. Rumors existed that the fight’s organizers were stalling, afraid of the negative publicity that would be generated over a perceived Nazi getting a shot at the world’s title. When it was confirmed that Braddock’s managers were in talks with the Louis camp, the New York Commission officially released an order for Braddock to fight Schmeling for the title. Any other fight, with Louis or otherwise, would not be recognized by New York as being for the championship. The [[Madison Square Garden Corporation]], the largest promotional company in the sport at the time, even attempted to get a legal injunction against a Braddock-Louis fight (Louis was not on their roster). Nonetheless, in February in 1937, Schmeling received the bad news that the champion had indeed singed to defend his championship against Louis. A furious Max protested, but to no avail and was forced to watch from ringside as Louis knocked Braddock out and gained the championship.
Sorely disappointed and convinced that he would never receive his chance at redemption, Schmeling fought just once more in America, an eighth round knockout of future contender [[Harry Thomas]], before returning to Germany. In his native land, Schmeling was regarded as a hero and promoted by the Nazi propaganda machine as a perfect example of German supremacy over the rest of the world by virtue of his stunning defeat of the current champion, Louis. The government ordered parades and rallies in his honor. He became a friend to Hitler and other powerful figures in the government and also a popular subject of newspaper articles and films. He continued to press for a chance at a rematch with Louis and in the meantime padded his record against overmatched fighters [[Ben Foord]] and [[Steve Dudas]].

==="Battle of the Century"===
In 1938, champion Joe Louis announced that he would indeed face Schmeling for the title. The rematch became an instant international sensation. Many clamored impatiently for its happening, but others, afraid of international tensions and the possibility of Hitler taking over the championship, protested. The controversy and ballyhoo led to the even becoming the most anticipated boxing match since the rematch between Dempsey and Gene Tunney, or possibly earlier. Louis, with his poor, African American roots was adopted by American fans as the symbol of America as a land of opportunity. In contrast, Americans perceived Schmeling and his ties to Hitler as an obvious threat to those opportunities and ideals. When Max walked to the ring at Yankee Stadium on June 22, 1938, he did so under a hail of garbage thrown from the stands. Ironically, it was a less humiliating barrage than what he experienced in the ring. Louis came out blazing in the first round and Max tried to counterpunch as he had in the first bout, but to no avail. Driven into the ropes and battered with a fusillade of short, crisp blows from every angle, Max turned his back to his opponent and clutched onto the ropes, letting out a scream that years later many spectators could recall vividly. Schmeling would later claim that he screamed because he had been hit with a blow to the kidneys. Max’s knees buckled under the punishment and referee [[Arthur Donovan]] pushed Louis away, beginning a count on Schmeling. Max reluctantly stepped away from the ropes and Donovan allowed him to continue. A few punches later, Max was laying on the canvas. From then on, he was helpless. He rose but fell moments later and Donovan stopped the fight. 
When he returned to Germany, Schmeling learned that the Nazi propagandists had stopped the radio broadcast of the fight halfway through the first round, embarrassed by Max’s performance. He was now shunned by the Nazis. Forced to continue his career for money, Max managed to win both the German and European heavyweight championships on the same night, with a first round knockout of [[Adolf Heuser]]. As war tensions increased in Europe, and then throughout the world, Max did what he could to silently protest the Nazi regime. During the Nazi purge of Jews from Berlin, he personally saved the lives of two Jewish children by hiding them in his house. He also visited American P.O.W. camps and occasionally tried to help conditions for the prisoners. He remained loyal to his country, however, and, drafted into the Germany Army during the second World War, he served honorably as a paratrooper. After the war, strapped for money, he embarked upon a moderately successful comeback in boxing, winning three of his five bouts with two point defeats before re-entering retirement in 1948. During the 1950s, Schmeling began working for the Coca-Cola Company’s offices in Germany. Before long he owned his own bottling plant and held an executive’s position within the company, making millions of dollars a year. In 1992, he was inducted into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]]. He lived his remaining years as a wealthy man and avid boxing fan, passing away on February 2, 2005 at the age of ninety-nine.

===Sources===
Bak, Richard. [[Joe Louis: The Great Black Hope]]. 1996. 
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Fleischer, Nat and Sam Andre. [[An Illustrated History of Boxing]]. 2001. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed. 2006. 
==Factoids==
 
*Named [[Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year]] for 1930.
*On July 25, 1930, Schmeling was saved from drowning in Lake Scharmnetzel (southeast of Berlin) after his motorboat capsized during a storm. A passing motorist hauled him out of the water.
*Max was the cousin of [[Nick Schmeling]] 

Autobiography: [[Max Schmeling: An Autobiography|''Max Schmeling: An Autobiography'']]

== Outside Links ==
[http://coxscorner.tripod.com/louismax.html The Joe Louis Knockout Punch] 
[http://www.bonus-books.com/bonus/subject/biography/mschmeling.html Autobiography] 
[http://www.ushmm.org/olympics/zcc036c.htm Olympics] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ German Bio] 
[http://www2.tagesspiegel.de/archiv/2001/09/27/ak-sp-6610346.html Another German piece] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ Biografien] 

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Gene Tunney]] Retired|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Jack Sharkey]]|
years=12 Jun 1930– 21 Jun 1932
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:German World Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World War II Veterans|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:2005 Deaths|Schmeling, Max]]

Max Schmeling

2007-10-04T21:52:29Z

Friedie: /* "Battle of the Century" */

[[file:Schmeling.Max.jpg|left|Max Schmeling]]
<boxer>009041</boxer>
'''Trainer''': [[Max Machon]] 
'''Managers''': Max Machon, [[Joe Jacobs]]

==Career Overview==
In America, he was routinely cast by promoters as the cold-hearted, villainous invader, a puppet of Hitler and a hater of Jews. In Germany, Nazi propagandists portrayed him as a heroic symbol of German destiny and Aryan supremacy. In no way was '''Max Schmeling''' any of these things. He was a quality prizefighter with respectable boxing technique, a solid right hand punch, and a keen intellect. The clash of politics, ideals, and countries that often symbolically accompanied his biggest fights only took place within the perceptions of the audience; they had nothing to do with what happened in the ring. Instead of being respected for his multiple accomplishments in the ring, he spent much of his life derided in America as a Nazi and dismissed in Germany as a disappointment. It was only in his later life that his status as a fighter, apart from his cultural symbolism, could be clearly analyzed.
===Early Years===
Schmeling first became acquainted with boxing as a teenager, when his father took him to watch film of the heavyweight championship match between [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Georges Carpentier]]. Impressed with Dempsey’s performance in that fight, young Schmeling became determined to imitate his new hero. He began boxing in amateur competitions and, by 1924, won Germany’s national amateur title in the light heavyweight division. Shortly thereafter he turned professional. Ironically, though he idolized the raging, brawling Dempsey, Max developed a careful, scientific style of fighting that leant itself more to counterpunching. Using this style, he got off to an impressive – though hardly sensational – start by winning seventeen of his first twenty-three bouts, thirteen by knockout. In 1925 he had the thrill of getting into the ring with Dempsey himself, who was then still heavyweight champion of the world and was touring Europe. Dempsey boxed for two rounds with the then unknown German and, according to a story later told by Schmeling, was greatly impressed. He proved Dempsey’s praises correct on August 24, 1926, when picking up the German light heavyweight championship with a first round knockout of rival [[Max Diekmann]], who had previously beaten Max. The next year, Schmeling won the European championship by stopping [[Fernand Delarge]] in the first boxing match broadcast live in Germany. After defending both titles against [[Hein Domgörgen]] the same year and , in 1928, the European Title with a first round knockout of [[Michele Bonaglia]] he secured the German heavyweight championship with a point victory against [[Franz Diener]] and decided to chase bigger fights and bigger purses in the United States. 
Arriving in New York City for the first time in 1928, Schmeling was hardly noticed by the American fight circles. Considered a stiff European fighter who had padded his record against German and European unknowns, he was given few opportunities to prove himself until he hooked up with American manager [[Joe Jacobs]], a man with the proper talents and connections to move Max’s career along a positive path. Schmeling’s debut in America took place at [[Madison Square Garden]] with an eighth round knockout of [[Joe Monte]], who was not a top flight heavyweight but nonetheless a young American who had been in with some tough competition. Two more victories led to a fight with [[Johnny Risko]], one of the biggest names in the division, though somewhat beyond his prime. On February 1, 1929, Schmeling floored Risko four times with his right hand before the referee halted the contest in the ninth round to save Risko from further punishment. The surprised crowd in attendance roared with appreciation and [[The Ring]] magazine subsequently recognized the win as its “Fight of the Year.”

==="Low Blow Champion"===
Boxing pundits were quickly changing their opinions of the German. When he defeated highly regarded Spaniard [[Paolino Uzcudun]] via fifteen round decision at Yankee Stadium later that year, Max was suddenly regarded as the foremost young contender in the division. With reigning heavyweight champion [[Gene Tunney]] recently retired promoters arranged a matchup between Max and veteran contender [[Jack Sharkey]] to fill the vacancy. On June 12, 1930, at Yankee Stadium, in a fight billed as the “Battle of the Continents,” Schmeling fell slightly behind on points going into the fourth round. Schmeling was trying to corner his opponent when Sharkey let loose with a blow to the body which strayed below the belt line. Max immediately clutched his groin and fell to the canvas, claiming to have been fouled. When manager Jacobs ran into the ring, prompting all kinds of chaos, the confused referee disqualified Sharkey and declared Schmeling the victor and the first (and only) man to win the heavyweight championship on a foul. The New York State Athletic Commission, reviewing the call, agreed. 
The first European-born boxer to win the heavyweight championship in thirty-three years, Max was also the first from Germany to hold the distinction. Still, the way in which he won the title proved an embarrassment. Called the “low blow champion” he was disparaged in both America and Europe as an unproven titleholder. When he initially refused to face Sharkey in a rematch, the [[New York State Athletic Commission]] officially stripped him of their recognition as world champion, but he remained recognized by both the [[National Boxing Association]] and The Ring magazine. Most of the criticism faded after Max’s first defense, an impressive fifteen round t.K.o. over [[Young Stribling]], a future hall of famer with 239 wins to his credit by 1931. In order to solidify his title as undisputed, Max signed a contract to face the Boston Gob once more. On June 21, 1932, the championship picture became even more muddled when Sharkey won a highly controversial split decision, taking the championship. Many in attendance, including Gene Tunney and the mayor of New York, felt that Max had proven himself the better man and was robbed. In losing the championship, the German had managed to elevate his reputation in the minds of boxing fans.

===Walker and Baer===
When Schmeling faced [[Mickey Walker]], the future hall of famer who had recently held Sharkey to a draw that many felt Walker deserved, it was thought that this fight was for the real heavyweight championship. Walker, a former welterweight, was a popular slugger who had won championships in two divisions but was at a considerably size disadvantage against Max. Though Mickey fought bravely and took the lead on points early in the fight, Schmeling showed both boxing ability and punching power in dealing out a terrific beating as the fight progressed. After eight exciting rounds, Walker’s corner threw in the towel, confirming Schmeling’s status as the leading heavyweight in the world. 
With the coming of 1933, however, Schmeling’s image in America began to take a decided turn. In 1932, the Nazi Party became the most powerful political force in Germany and its ideologies, voiced by party leader Adolf Hitler, overflowed with anti-Semitic tendencies. Major American cities such as New York had large Jewish populations who worried over what the party could mean for people of their religion in the future. Schmeling, because he was German, was viewed as an extention of Hitler’s plans for world domination. When Schmeling was slated to fight heavy-hitting contender [[Max Baer]] on June 8, 1933, he immediately became the “bad guy” in the eyes of fans. Baer, who did not practice the Jewish religion but had a Jewish grandfather, came into the ring wearing the Star of David on his shorts. Promoter Jack Dempsey played up this angle and suddenly the fight was viewed as Baer defending his faith against the prejudice of the Nazis, represented reluctantly by Schmeling. Thrown off of his game in part by the bad publicity, but also because of Baer’s wild, brawling style and frequent fouls (including backhand punches and rabbit punches), Schmeling was positively thrashed after ten rounds before nearly 60,000 onlookers at Yankee Stadium. While the German took a vicious battering against the ropes in the tenth, the referee leapt in to stop the fight. The embarrassing fight, combined with a follow-up loss to contender [[Steve Hamas]] early the next year, left many wondering if Schmeling was still a world class fighter.

===Dismantling the Bomber===
Returning to his native Germany, Max won three of his next four fights, with one draw, including knockout wins over [[Walter Neusel]] and [[Steve Hamas]]. His opponents were of an impressive caliber, but many among the American press and fans remained unmoved on the idea of rooting for Schmeling in light of the Nazi Party’s behavior. Articles continued to be published declaring the German “washed up,” a “has been,” or a “Nazi puppet.” When he was matched with undefeated African American sensation [[Joe Louis]] in 1936 for Max’s first fight on American soil in more than two years, he was clearly the betting underdog, considered a name opponent for Louis to roll over on his route to the title, nevertheless he was number two contender for the title behind Louis. Prior to the match, Schmeling carefully studied films of Louis’ prior fights, dissecting apparent flaws in the Detroit fighter’s technique. Among the weaknesses he noticed was the fact that Louis lowered his left hand after throwing a left jab. In the ring, Max exploited this subtle flaw to his own advantage, countering nearly every Louis jab with his best punch, the right cross. The fight proved to be a competitive, hard-hitting affair for the first three rounds, but, in the fourth, a counter right from the German dropped Louis for the first time in his career. Though Louis rose, he was badly dazed for the remainder of the fight and Schmeling subsequently delivered the finest performance of his career. For a further eight rounds he battered Louis, often standing toe-to-toe with the vaunted puncher and landing that same right hand to the jaw repeatedly. In the twelfth he sent Joe tumbling to the floor once more, and this time Louis could not recover. He was counted out on the floor and Schmeling had scored the most talked-about sports upset of the year. 
Now the unexpected number one contender for the heavyweight crown held by [[Jim Braddock]], Schmeling looked forward to his chance to regain the title as first Heavyweight ever, scheduled for that September. The fight was postponed, however, when Braddock injured his hand in training. Rumors existed that the fight’s organizers were stalling, afraid of the negative publicity that would be generated over a perceived Nazi getting a shot at the world’s title. When it was confirmed that Braddock’s managers were in talks with the Louis camp, the New York Commission officially released an order for Braddock to fight Schmeling for the title. Any other fight, with Louis or otherwise, would not be recognized by New York as being for the championship. The [[Madison Square Garden Corporation]], the largest promotional company in the sport at the time, even attempted to get a legal injunction against a Braddock-Louis fight (Louis was not on their roster). Nonetheless, in February in 1937, Schmeling received the bad news that the champion had indeed singed to defend his championship against Louis. A furious Max protested, but to no avail and was forced to watch from ringside as Louis knocked Braddock out and gained the championship.
Sorely disappointed and convinced that he would never receive his chance at redemption, Schmeling fought just once more in America, an eighth round knockout of future contender [[Harry Thomas]], before returning to Germany. In his native land, Schmeling was regarded as a hero and promoted by the Nazi propaganda machine as a perfect example of German supremacy over the rest of the world by virtue of his stunning defeat of the current champion, Louis. The government ordered parades and rallies in his honor. He became a friend to Hitler and other powerful figures in the government and also a popular subject of newspaper articles and films. He continued to press for a chance at a rematch with Louis and in the meantime padded his record against overmatched fighters [[Ben Foord]] and [[Steve Dudas]].

==="Battle of the Century"===
In 1938, champion Joe Louis announced that he would indeed face Schmeling for the title. The rematch became an instant international sensation. Many clamored impatiently for its happening, but others, afraid of international tensions and the possibility of Hitler taking over the championship, protested. The controversy and ballyhoo led to the even becoming the most anticipated boxing match since the rematch between Dempsey and Gene Tunney, or possibly earlier. Louis, with his poor, African American roots was adopted by American fans as the symbol of America as a land of opportunity. In contrast, Americans perceived Schmeling and his ties to Hitler as an obvious threat to those opportunities and ideals. When Max walked to the ring at Yankee Stadium on June 22, 1938, he did so under a hail of garbage thrown from the stands. Ironically, it was a less humiliating barrage than what he experienced in the ring. Louis came out blazing in the first round and Max tried to counterpunch as he had in the first bout, but to no avail. Driven into the ropes and battered with a fusillade of short, crisp blows from every angle, Max turned his back to his opponent and clutched onto the ropes, letting out a scream that years later many spectators could recall vividly. Schmeling would later claim that he screamed because he had been hit with a blow to the kidneys. Max’s knees buckled under the punishment and referee [[Arthur Donovan]] pushed Louis away, beginning a count on Schmeling. Max reluctantly stepped away from the ropes and Donovan allowed him to continue. A few punches later, Max was laying on the canvas. From then on, he was helpless. He rose but fell moments later and Donovan stopped the fight. 
When he returned to Germany, Schmeling learned that the Nazi propagandists had stopped the radio broadcast of the fight halfway through the first round, embarrassed by Max’s performance. He was now shunned by the Nazis. Forced to continue his career for money, Max managed to win both the German and European heavyweight championships on the same night, with a first round knockout of [[Adolf Heuser]]. As war tensions increased in Europe, and then throughout the world, Max did what he could to silently protest the Nazi regime. During the Nazi purge of Jews from Berlin, he personally saved the lives of two Jewish children by hiding them in his house. He also visited American P.O.W. camps and occasionally tried to help conditions for the prisoners. He remained loyal to his country, however, and, drafted into the Germany Army during the second World War, he served honorably as a paratrooper. After the war, strapped for money, he embarked upon a moderately successful comeback in boxing, winning three of his five bouts with two point defeats before re-entering retirement in 1948. During the 1950s, Schmeling began working for the Coca-Cola Company’s offices in Germany. Before long he owned his own bottling plant and held an executive’s position within the company, making millions of dollars a year. In 1992, he was inducted into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]]. He lived his remaining years as a wealthy man and avid boxing fan, passing away on February 2, 2005 at the age of ninety-nine.

===Sources===
Bak, Richard. [[Joe Louis: The Great Black Hope]]. 1996. 
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Fleischer, Nat and Sam Andre. [[An Illustrated History of Boxing]]. 2001. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed. 2006. 
==Factoids==
 
*Named [[Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year]] for 1930.
*On July 25, 1930, Schmeling was saved from drowning in Lake Scharmnetzel (southeast of Berlin) after his motorboat capsized during a storm. A passing motorist hauled him out of the water.
*Max was the cousin of [[Nick Schmeling]] 

Autobiography: [[Max Schmeling: An Autobiography|''Max Schmeling: An Autobiography'']]

== Outside Links ==
[http://coxscorner.tripod.com/louismax.html The Joe Louis Knockout Punch] 
[http://www.bonus-books.com/bonus/subject/biography/mschmeling.html Autobiography] 
[http://www.ushmm.org/olympics/zcc036c.htm Olympics] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ German Bio] 
[http://www2.tagesspiegel.de/archiv/2001/09/27/ak-sp-6610346.html Another German piece] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ Biografien] 

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Gene Tunney]] Retired|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Jack Sharkey]]|
years=12 Jun 1930– 21 Jun 1932
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:German World Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World War II Veterans|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:2005 Deaths|Schmeling, Max]]

Max Schmeling

2007-10-04T21:47:25Z

Friedie: /* Dismantling the Bomber */

[[file:Schmeling.Max.jpg|left|Max Schmeling]]
<boxer>009041</boxer>
'''Trainer''': [[Max Machon]] 
'''Managers''': Max Machon, [[Joe Jacobs]]

==Career Overview==
In America, he was routinely cast by promoters as the cold-hearted, villainous invader, a puppet of Hitler and a hater of Jews. In Germany, Nazi propagandists portrayed him as a heroic symbol of German destiny and Aryan supremacy. In no way was '''Max Schmeling''' any of these things. He was a quality prizefighter with respectable boxing technique, a solid right hand punch, and a keen intellect. The clash of politics, ideals, and countries that often symbolically accompanied his biggest fights only took place within the perceptions of the audience; they had nothing to do with what happened in the ring. Instead of being respected for his multiple accomplishments in the ring, he spent much of his life derided in America as a Nazi and dismissed in Germany as a disappointment. It was only in his later life that his status as a fighter, apart from his cultural symbolism, could be clearly analyzed.
===Early Years===
Schmeling first became acquainted with boxing as a teenager, when his father took him to watch film of the heavyweight championship match between [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Georges Carpentier]]. Impressed with Dempsey’s performance in that fight, young Schmeling became determined to imitate his new hero. He began boxing in amateur competitions and, by 1924, won Germany’s national amateur title in the light heavyweight division. Shortly thereafter he turned professional. Ironically, though he idolized the raging, brawling Dempsey, Max developed a careful, scientific style of fighting that leant itself more to counterpunching. Using this style, he got off to an impressive – though hardly sensational – start by winning seventeen of his first twenty-three bouts, thirteen by knockout. In 1925 he had the thrill of getting into the ring with Dempsey himself, who was then still heavyweight champion of the world and was touring Europe. Dempsey boxed for two rounds with the then unknown German and, according to a story later told by Schmeling, was greatly impressed. He proved Dempsey’s praises correct on August 24, 1926, when picking up the German light heavyweight championship with a first round knockout of rival [[Max Diekmann]], who had previously beaten Max. The next year, Schmeling won the European championship by stopping [[Fernand Delarge]] in the first boxing match broadcast live in Germany. After defending both titles against [[Hein Domgörgen]] the same year and , in 1928, the European Title with a first round knockout of [[Michele Bonaglia]] he secured the German heavyweight championship with a point victory against [[Franz Diener]] and decided to chase bigger fights and bigger purses in the United States. 
Arriving in New York City for the first time in 1928, Schmeling was hardly noticed by the American fight circles. Considered a stiff European fighter who had padded his record against German and European unknowns, he was given few opportunities to prove himself until he hooked up with American manager [[Joe Jacobs]], a man with the proper talents and connections to move Max’s career along a positive path. Schmeling’s debut in America took place at [[Madison Square Garden]] with an eighth round knockout of [[Joe Monte]], who was not a top flight heavyweight but nonetheless a young American who had been in with some tough competition. Two more victories led to a fight with [[Johnny Risko]], one of the biggest names in the division, though somewhat beyond his prime. On February 1, 1929, Schmeling floored Risko four times with his right hand before the referee halted the contest in the ninth round to save Risko from further punishment. The surprised crowd in attendance roared with appreciation and [[The Ring]] magazine subsequently recognized the win as its “Fight of the Year.”

==="Low Blow Champion"===
Boxing pundits were quickly changing their opinions of the German. When he defeated highly regarded Spaniard [[Paolino Uzcudun]] via fifteen round decision at Yankee Stadium later that year, Max was suddenly regarded as the foremost young contender in the division. With reigning heavyweight champion [[Gene Tunney]] recently retired promoters arranged a matchup between Max and veteran contender [[Jack Sharkey]] to fill the vacancy. On June 12, 1930, at Yankee Stadium, in a fight billed as the “Battle of the Continents,” Schmeling fell slightly behind on points going into the fourth round. Schmeling was trying to corner his opponent when Sharkey let loose with a blow to the body which strayed below the belt line. Max immediately clutched his groin and fell to the canvas, claiming to have been fouled. When manager Jacobs ran into the ring, prompting all kinds of chaos, the confused referee disqualified Sharkey and declared Schmeling the victor and the first (and only) man to win the heavyweight championship on a foul. The New York State Athletic Commission, reviewing the call, agreed. 
The first European-born boxer to win the heavyweight championship in thirty-three years, Max was also the first from Germany to hold the distinction. Still, the way in which he won the title proved an embarrassment. Called the “low blow champion” he was disparaged in both America and Europe as an unproven titleholder. When he initially refused to face Sharkey in a rematch, the [[New York State Athletic Commission]] officially stripped him of their recognition as world champion, but he remained recognized by both the [[National Boxing Association]] and The Ring magazine. Most of the criticism faded after Max’s first defense, an impressive fifteen round t.K.o. over [[Young Stribling]], a future hall of famer with 239 wins to his credit by 1931. In order to solidify his title as undisputed, Max signed a contract to face the Boston Gob once more. On June 21, 1932, the championship picture became even more muddled when Sharkey won a highly controversial split decision, taking the championship. Many in attendance, including Gene Tunney and the mayor of New York, felt that Max had proven himself the better man and was robbed. In losing the championship, the German had managed to elevate his reputation in the minds of boxing fans.

===Walker and Baer===
When Schmeling faced [[Mickey Walker]], the future hall of famer who had recently held Sharkey to a draw that many felt Walker deserved, it was thought that this fight was for the real heavyweight championship. Walker, a former welterweight, was a popular slugger who had won championships in two divisions but was at a considerably size disadvantage against Max. Though Mickey fought bravely and took the lead on points early in the fight, Schmeling showed both boxing ability and punching power in dealing out a terrific beating as the fight progressed. After eight exciting rounds, Walker’s corner threw in the towel, confirming Schmeling’s status as the leading heavyweight in the world. 
With the coming of 1933, however, Schmeling’s image in America began to take a decided turn. In 1932, the Nazi Party became the most powerful political force in Germany and its ideologies, voiced by party leader Adolf Hitler, overflowed with anti-Semitic tendencies. Major American cities such as New York had large Jewish populations who worried over what the party could mean for people of their religion in the future. Schmeling, because he was German, was viewed as an extention of Hitler’s plans for world domination. When Schmeling was slated to fight heavy-hitting contender [[Max Baer]] on June 8, 1933, he immediately became the “bad guy” in the eyes of fans. Baer, who did not practice the Jewish religion but had a Jewish grandfather, came into the ring wearing the Star of David on his shorts. Promoter Jack Dempsey played up this angle and suddenly the fight was viewed as Baer defending his faith against the prejudice of the Nazis, represented reluctantly by Schmeling. Thrown off of his game in part by the bad publicity, but also because of Baer’s wild, brawling style and frequent fouls (including backhand punches and rabbit punches), Schmeling was positively thrashed after ten rounds before nearly 60,000 onlookers at Yankee Stadium. While the German took a vicious battering against the ropes in the tenth, the referee leapt in to stop the fight. The embarrassing fight, combined with a follow-up loss to contender [[Steve Hamas]] early the next year, left many wondering if Schmeling was still a world class fighter.

===Dismantling the Bomber===
Returning to his native Germany, Max won three of his next four fights, with one draw, including knockout wins over [[Walter Neusel]] and [[Steve Hamas]]. His opponents were of an impressive caliber, but many among the American press and fans remained unmoved on the idea of rooting for Schmeling in light of the Nazi Party’s behavior. Articles continued to be published declaring the German “washed up,” a “has been,” or a “Nazi puppet.” When he was matched with undefeated African American sensation [[Joe Louis]] in 1936 for Max’s first fight on American soil in more than two years, he was clearly the betting underdog, considered a name opponent for Louis to roll over on his route to the title, nevertheless he was number two contender for the title behind Louis. Prior to the match, Schmeling carefully studied films of Louis’ prior fights, dissecting apparent flaws in the Detroit fighter’s technique. Among the weaknesses he noticed was the fact that Louis lowered his left hand after throwing a left jab. In the ring, Max exploited this subtle flaw to his own advantage, countering nearly every Louis jab with his best punch, the right cross. The fight proved to be a competitive, hard-hitting affair for the first three rounds, but, in the fourth, a counter right from the German dropped Louis for the first time in his career. Though Louis rose, he was badly dazed for the remainder of the fight and Schmeling subsequently delivered the finest performance of his career. For a further eight rounds he battered Louis, often standing toe-to-toe with the vaunted puncher and landing that same right hand to the jaw repeatedly. In the twelfth he sent Joe tumbling to the floor once more, and this time Louis could not recover. He was counted out on the floor and Schmeling had scored the most talked-about sports upset of the year. 
Now the unexpected number one contender for the heavyweight crown held by [[Jim Braddock]], Schmeling looked forward to his chance to regain the title as first Heavyweight ever, scheduled for that September. The fight was postponed, however, when Braddock injured his hand in training. Rumors existed that the fight’s organizers were stalling, afraid of the negative publicity that would be generated over a perceived Nazi getting a shot at the world’s title. When it was confirmed that Braddock’s managers were in talks with the Louis camp, the New York Commission officially released an order for Braddock to fight Schmeling for the title. Any other fight, with Louis or otherwise, would not be recognized by New York as being for the championship. The [[Madison Square Garden Corporation]], the largest promotional company in the sport at the time, even attempted to get a legal injunction against a Braddock-Louis fight (Louis was not on their roster). Nonetheless, in February in 1937, Schmeling received the bad news that the champion had indeed singed to defend his championship against Louis. A furious Max protested, but to no avail and was forced to watch from ringside as Louis knocked Braddock out and gained the championship.
Sorely disappointed and convinced that he would never receive his chance at redemption, Schmeling fought just once more in America, an eighth round knockout of future contender [[Harry Thomas]], before returning to Germany. In his native land, Schmeling was regarded as a hero and promoted by the Nazi propaganda machine as a perfect example of German supremacy over the rest of the world by virtue of his stunning defeat of the current champion, Louis. The government ordered parades and rallies in his honor. He became a friend to Hitler and other powerful figures in the government and also a popular subject of newspaper articles and films. He continued to press for a chance at a rematch with Louis and in the meantime padded his record against overmatched fighters [[Ben Foord]] and [[Steve Dudas]].

==="Battle of the Century"===
In 1938, champion Joe Louis announced that he would indeed face Schmeling for the title. The rematch became an instant international sensation. Many clamored impatiently for its happening, but others, afraid of international tensions and the possibility of Hitler taking over the championship, protested. The controversy and ballyhoo led to the even becoming the most anticipated boxing match since the rematch between Dempsey and Gene Tunney, or possibly earlier. Louis, with his poor, African American roots was adopted by American fans as the symbol of America as a land of opportunity. In contrast, Americans perceived Schmeling and his ties to Hitler as an obvious threat to those opportunities and ideals. When Max walked to the ring at Yankee Stadium on June 22, 1938, he did so under a hail of garbage thrown from the stands. Ironically, it was a less humiliating barrage than what he experienced in the ring. Louis came out blazing in the first round and Max tried to counterpunch as he had in the first bout, but to no avail. Driven into the ropes and battered with a fusillade of short, crisp blows from every angle, Max turned his back to his opponent and clutched onto the ropes, letting out a scream that years later many spectators could recall vividly. Schmeling would later claim that he screamed because he had been fouled with a blow to the kidneys. Max’s knees buckled under the punishment and referee [[Arthur Donovan]] pushed Louis away, beginning a count on Schmeling. Max reluctantly stepped away from the ropes and Donovan allowed him to continue. A few punches later, Max was laying on the canvas. From then on, he was helpless. He rose but fell moments later and Donovan stopped the fight. 
When he returned to Germany, Schmeling learned that the Nazi propagandists had stopped the radio broadcast of the fight halfway through the first round, embarrassed by Max’s performance. He was now shunned by the Nazis. Forced to continue his career for money, Max managed to win both the German and European heavyweight championships on the same night, with a first round knockout of [[Adolf Heuser]]. He then retired from boxing. As war tensions increased in Europe, and then throughout the world, Max did what he could to silently protest the Nazi regime. During the Nazi purge of Jews from Berlin, he personally saved the lives of two Jewish neighbors by hiding them in his house. He also visited American P.O.W. camps and occasionally tried to help conditions for the prisoners. He remained loyal to his country, however, and, drafted into the Germany Army during the second World War, he served honorably as a paratrooper. After the war, strapped for money, he embarked upon a moderately successful comeback in boxing, three of his five bouts before re-entering retirement in 1948. During the 1950s, Schmeling began working for the Coca-Cola Company’s offices in Germany. Before long he owned his own bottling plant and held an executive’s position within the company, making millions of dollars a year. In 1992, he was inducted into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]]. He lived his remaining years as a wealthy man and avid boxing fan, passing away on February 2, 2005 at the age of ninety-nine.
===Sources===
Bak, Richard. [[Joe Louis: The Great Black Hope]]. 1996. 
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Fleischer, Nat and Sam Andre. [[An Illustrated History of Boxing]]. 2001. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed. 2006. 
==Factoids==
 
*Named [[Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year]] for 1930.
*On July 25, 1930, Schmeling was saved from drowning in Lake Scharmnetzel (southeast of Berlin) after his motorboat capsized during a storm. A passing motorist hauled him out of the water.
*Max was the cousin of [[Nick Schmeling]] 

Autobiography: [[Max Schmeling: An Autobiography|''Max Schmeling: An Autobiography'']]

== Outside Links ==
[http://coxscorner.tripod.com/louismax.html The Joe Louis Knockout Punch] 
[http://www.bonus-books.com/bonus/subject/biography/mschmeling.html Autobiography] 
[http://www.ushmm.org/olympics/zcc036c.htm Olympics] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ German Bio] 
[http://www2.tagesspiegel.de/archiv/2001/09/27/ak-sp-6610346.html Another German piece] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ Biografien] 

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Gene Tunney]] Retired|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Jack Sharkey]]|
years=12 Jun 1930– 21 Jun 1932
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:German World Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World War II Veterans|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:2005 Deaths|Schmeling, Max]]

Max Schmeling

2007-10-04T21:40:09Z

Friedie: /* Walker and Baer */

[[file:Schmeling.Max.jpg|left|Max Schmeling]]
<boxer>009041</boxer>
'''Trainer''': [[Max Machon]] 
'''Managers''': Max Machon, [[Joe Jacobs]]

==Career Overview==
In America, he was routinely cast by promoters as the cold-hearted, villainous invader, a puppet of Hitler and a hater of Jews. In Germany, Nazi propagandists portrayed him as a heroic symbol of German destiny and Aryan supremacy. In no way was '''Max Schmeling''' any of these things. He was a quality prizefighter with respectable boxing technique, a solid right hand punch, and a keen intellect. The clash of politics, ideals, and countries that often symbolically accompanied his biggest fights only took place within the perceptions of the audience; they had nothing to do with what happened in the ring. Instead of being respected for his multiple accomplishments in the ring, he spent much of his life derided in America as a Nazi and dismissed in Germany as a disappointment. It was only in his later life that his status as a fighter, apart from his cultural symbolism, could be clearly analyzed.
===Early Years===
Schmeling first became acquainted with boxing as a teenager, when his father took him to watch film of the heavyweight championship match between [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Georges Carpentier]]. Impressed with Dempsey’s performance in that fight, young Schmeling became determined to imitate his new hero. He began boxing in amateur competitions and, by 1924, won Germany’s national amateur title in the light heavyweight division. Shortly thereafter he turned professional. Ironically, though he idolized the raging, brawling Dempsey, Max developed a careful, scientific style of fighting that leant itself more to counterpunching. Using this style, he got off to an impressive – though hardly sensational – start by winning seventeen of his first twenty-three bouts, thirteen by knockout. In 1925 he had the thrill of getting into the ring with Dempsey himself, who was then still heavyweight champion of the world and was touring Europe. Dempsey boxed for two rounds with the then unknown German and, according to a story later told by Schmeling, was greatly impressed. He proved Dempsey’s praises correct on August 24, 1926, when picking up the German light heavyweight championship with a first round knockout of rival [[Max Diekmann]], who had previously beaten Max. The next year, Schmeling won the European championship by stopping [[Fernand Delarge]] in the first boxing match broadcast live in Germany. After defending both titles against [[Hein Domgörgen]] the same year and , in 1928, the European Title with a first round knockout of [[Michele Bonaglia]] he secured the German heavyweight championship with a point victory against [[Franz Diener]] and decided to chase bigger fights and bigger purses in the United States. 
Arriving in New York City for the first time in 1928, Schmeling was hardly noticed by the American fight circles. Considered a stiff European fighter who had padded his record against German and European unknowns, he was given few opportunities to prove himself until he hooked up with American manager [[Joe Jacobs]], a man with the proper talents and connections to move Max’s career along a positive path. Schmeling’s debut in America took place at [[Madison Square Garden]] with an eighth round knockout of [[Joe Monte]], who was not a top flight heavyweight but nonetheless a young American who had been in with some tough competition. Two more victories led to a fight with [[Johnny Risko]], one of the biggest names in the division, though somewhat beyond his prime. On February 1, 1929, Schmeling floored Risko four times with his right hand before the referee halted the contest in the ninth round to save Risko from further punishment. The surprised crowd in attendance roared with appreciation and [[The Ring]] magazine subsequently recognized the win as its “Fight of the Year.”

==="Low Blow Champion"===
Boxing pundits were quickly changing their opinions of the German. When he defeated highly regarded Spaniard [[Paolino Uzcudun]] via fifteen round decision at Yankee Stadium later that year, Max was suddenly regarded as the foremost young contender in the division. With reigning heavyweight champion [[Gene Tunney]] recently retired promoters arranged a matchup between Max and veteran contender [[Jack Sharkey]] to fill the vacancy. On June 12, 1930, at Yankee Stadium, in a fight billed as the “Battle of the Continents,” Schmeling fell slightly behind on points going into the fourth round. Schmeling was trying to corner his opponent when Sharkey let loose with a blow to the body which strayed below the belt line. Max immediately clutched his groin and fell to the canvas, claiming to have been fouled. When manager Jacobs ran into the ring, prompting all kinds of chaos, the confused referee disqualified Sharkey and declared Schmeling the victor and the first (and only) man to win the heavyweight championship on a foul. The New York State Athletic Commission, reviewing the call, agreed. 
The first European-born boxer to win the heavyweight championship in thirty-three years, Max was also the first from Germany to hold the distinction. Still, the way in which he won the title proved an embarrassment. Called the “low blow champion” he was disparaged in both America and Europe as an unproven titleholder. When he initially refused to face Sharkey in a rematch, the [[New York State Athletic Commission]] officially stripped him of their recognition as world champion, but he remained recognized by both the [[National Boxing Association]] and The Ring magazine. Most of the criticism faded after Max’s first defense, an impressive fifteen round t.K.o. over [[Young Stribling]], a future hall of famer with 239 wins to his credit by 1931. In order to solidify his title as undisputed, Max signed a contract to face the Boston Gob once more. On June 21, 1932, the championship picture became even more muddled when Sharkey won a highly controversial split decision, taking the championship. Many in attendance, including Gene Tunney and the mayor of New York, felt that Max had proven himself the better man and was robbed. In losing the championship, the German had managed to elevate his reputation in the minds of boxing fans.

===Walker and Baer===
When Schmeling faced [[Mickey Walker]], the future hall of famer who had recently held Sharkey to a draw that many felt Walker deserved, it was thought that this fight was for the real heavyweight championship. Walker, a former welterweight, was a popular slugger who had won championships in two divisions but was at a considerably size disadvantage against Max. Though Mickey fought bravely and took the lead on points early in the fight, Schmeling showed both boxing ability and punching power in dealing out a terrific beating as the fight progressed. After eight exciting rounds, Walker’s corner threw in the towel, confirming Schmeling’s status as the leading heavyweight in the world. 
With the coming of 1933, however, Schmeling’s image in America began to take a decided turn. In 1932, the Nazi Party became the most powerful political force in Germany and its ideologies, voiced by party leader Adolf Hitler, overflowed with anti-Semitic tendencies. Major American cities such as New York had large Jewish populations who worried over what the party could mean for people of their religion in the future. Schmeling, because he was German, was viewed as an extention of Hitler’s plans for world domination. When Schmeling was slated to fight heavy-hitting contender [[Max Baer]] on June 8, 1933, he immediately became the “bad guy” in the eyes of fans. Baer, who did not practice the Jewish religion but had a Jewish grandfather, came into the ring wearing the Star of David on his shorts. Promoter Jack Dempsey played up this angle and suddenly the fight was viewed as Baer defending his faith against the prejudice of the Nazis, represented reluctantly by Schmeling. Thrown off of his game in part by the bad publicity, but also because of Baer’s wild, brawling style and frequent fouls (including backhand punches and rabbit punches), Schmeling was positively thrashed after ten rounds before nearly 60,000 onlookers at Yankee Stadium. While the German took a vicious battering against the ropes in the tenth, the referee leapt in to stop the fight. The embarrassing fight, combined with a follow-up loss to contender [[Steve Hamas]] early the next year, left many wondering if Schmeling was still a world class fighter.

===Dismantling the Bomber===
Returning to his native Germany, Max won three of his next four fights. His opponents were of an impressive caliber, but many among the American press and fans remained unmoved on the idea of rooting for Schmeling in light of the Nazi Party’s behavior. Articles continued to be published declaring the German “washed up,” a “has been,” or a “Nazi puppet.” When he was matched with undefeated African American sensation [[Joe Louis]] in 1936 for Max’s first fight on American soil in more than two years, he was clearly the betting underdog, considered a name opponent for Louis to roll over on his route to the title. Prior to the match, Schmeling carefully studied films of Louis’ prior fight with Max Baer, dissecting apparent flaws in the Detroit fighter’s technique. Among the weaknesses he noticed was the fact that Louis lowered his left hand after throwing a left jab. In the ring, Max exploited this subtle flaw to his own advantage, countering nearly every Louis jab with his best punch, the right cross. The fight proved to be a competitive, hard-hitting affair for the first three rounds, but, in the fourth, a counter right from the German dropped Louis for the first time in his career. Though Louis rose, he was badly dazed for the remainder of the fight and Schmeling subsequently delivered the finest performance of his career. For a further eight rounds he battered Louis, often standing toe-to-toe with the vaunted puncher and landing that same right hand to the jaw repeatedly. In the twelfth he sent Joe tumbling to the floor once more, and this time Louis could not recover. He was counted out on the floor and Schmeling had scored the most talked-about sports upset of the year. 
Now the unexpected number one contender for the heavyweight crown held by [[Jim Braddock]], Schmeling looked forward to his chance to regain the title, scheduled for that September. The fight was postponed, however, when Braddock injured his hand in training. Rumors existed that the fight’s organizers were stalling, afraid of the negative publicity that would be generated over a perceived Nazi getting a shot at the world’s title. When it was confirmed that Braddock’s managers were in talks with the Louis camp, the New York Commission officially released an order for Braddock to fight Schmeling for the title. Any other fight, with Louis or otherwise, would not be recognized by New York as being for the championship. The [[Madison Square Garden Corporation]], the largest promotional company in the sport at the time, even attempted to get a legal injunction against a Braddock-Louis fight (Louis was not on their roster). Nonetheless, in February in 1937, Schmeling received the bad news that the champion had indeed singed to defend his championship against Louis. A furious Max protested, but to no avail and was forced to watch from ringside as Louis knocked Braddock out and gained the championship.
Sorely disappointed and convinced that he would never receive his chance at redemption, Schmeling fought just once more in America, an eighth round knockout of fringe contender [[Harry Thomas]], before returning to Germany. In his native land, Schmeling was regarded as a hero and promoted by the Nazi propaganda machine as a perfect example of German supremacy over the rest of the world by virtue of his stunning defeat of the current champion, Louis. The government ordered parades and rallies in his honor. He became a friend to Hitler and other powerful figures in the government and also a popular subject of newspaper articles and films. He continued to press for a chance at a rematch with Louis and in the meantime padded his record against overmatched fighters [[Ben Foord]] and [[Steve Dudas]].
==="Battle of the Century"===
In 1938, champion Joe Louis announced that he would indeed face Schmeling for the title. The rematch became an instant international sensation. Many clamored impatiently for its happening, but others, afraid of international tensions and the possibility of Hitler taking over the championship, protested. The controversy and ballyhoo led to the even becoming the most anticipated boxing match since the rematch between Dempsey and Gene Tunney, or possibly earlier. Louis, with his poor, African American roots was adopted by American fans as the symbol of America as a land of opportunity. In contrast, Americans perceived Schmeling and his ties to Hitler as an obvious threat to those opportunities and ideals. When Max walked to the ring at Yankee Stadium on June 22, 1938, he did so under a hail of garbage thrown from the stands. Ironically, it was a less humiliating barrage than what he experienced in the ring. Louis came out blazing in the first round and Max tried to counterpunch as he had in the first bout, but to no avail. Driven into the ropes and battered with a fusillade of short, crisp blows from every angle, Max turned his back to his opponent and clutched onto the ropes, letting out a scream that years later many spectators could recall vividly. Schmeling would later claim that he screamed because he had been fouled with a blow to the kidneys. Max’s knees buckled under the punishment and referee [[Arthur Donovan]] pushed Louis away, beginning a count on Schmeling. Max reluctantly stepped away from the ropes and Donovan allowed him to continue. A few punches later, Max was laying on the canvas. From then on, he was helpless. He rose but fell moments later and Donovan stopped the fight. 
When he returned to Germany, Schmeling learned that the Nazi propagandists had stopped the radio broadcast of the fight halfway through the first round, embarrassed by Max’s performance. He was now shunned by the Nazis. Forced to continue his career for money, Max managed to win both the German and European heavyweight championships on the same night, with a first round knockout of [[Adolf Heuser]]. He then retired from boxing. As war tensions increased in Europe, and then throughout the world, Max did what he could to silently protest the Nazi regime. During the Nazi purge of Jews from Berlin, he personally saved the lives of two Jewish neighbors by hiding them in his house. He also visited American P.O.W. camps and occasionally tried to help conditions for the prisoners. He remained loyal to his country, however, and, drafted into the Germany Army during the second World War, he served honorably as a paratrooper. After the war, strapped for money, he embarked upon a moderately successful comeback in boxing, three of his five bouts before re-entering retirement in 1948. During the 1950s, Schmeling began working for the Coca-Cola Company’s offices in Germany. Before long he owned his own bottling plant and held an executive’s position within the company, making millions of dollars a year. In 1992, he was inducted into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]]. He lived his remaining years as a wealthy man and avid boxing fan, passing away on February 2, 2005 at the age of ninety-nine.
===Sources===
Bak, Richard. [[Joe Louis: The Great Black Hope]]. 1996. 
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Fleischer, Nat and Sam Andre. [[An Illustrated History of Boxing]]. 2001. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed. 2006. 
==Factoids==
 
*Named [[Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year]] for 1930.
*On July 25, 1930, Schmeling was saved from drowning in Lake Scharmnetzel (southeast of Berlin) after his motorboat capsized during a storm. A passing motorist hauled him out of the water.
*Max was the cousin of [[Nick Schmeling]] 

Autobiography: [[Max Schmeling: An Autobiography|''Max Schmeling: An Autobiography'']]

== Outside Links ==
[http://coxscorner.tripod.com/louismax.html The Joe Louis Knockout Punch] 
[http://www.bonus-books.com/bonus/subject/biography/mschmeling.html Autobiography] 
[http://www.ushmm.org/olympics/zcc036c.htm Olympics] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ German Bio] 
[http://www2.tagesspiegel.de/archiv/2001/09/27/ak-sp-6610346.html Another German piece] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ Biografien] 

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Gene Tunney]] Retired|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Jack Sharkey]]|
years=12 Jun 1930– 21 Jun 1932
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:German World Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World War II Veterans|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:2005 Deaths|Schmeling, Max]]

Max Schmeling

2007-10-04T21:35:29Z

Friedie: /* "Low Blow Champion" */

[[file:Schmeling.Max.jpg|left|Max Schmeling]]
<boxer>009041</boxer>
'''Trainer''': [[Max Machon]] 
'''Managers''': Max Machon, [[Joe Jacobs]]

==Career Overview==
In America, he was routinely cast by promoters as the cold-hearted, villainous invader, a puppet of Hitler and a hater of Jews. In Germany, Nazi propagandists portrayed him as a heroic symbol of German destiny and Aryan supremacy. In no way was '''Max Schmeling''' any of these things. He was a quality prizefighter with respectable boxing technique, a solid right hand punch, and a keen intellect. The clash of politics, ideals, and countries that often symbolically accompanied his biggest fights only took place within the perceptions of the audience; they had nothing to do with what happened in the ring. Instead of being respected for his multiple accomplishments in the ring, he spent much of his life derided in America as a Nazi and dismissed in Germany as a disappointment. It was only in his later life that his status as a fighter, apart from his cultural symbolism, could be clearly analyzed.
===Early Years===
Schmeling first became acquainted with boxing as a teenager, when his father took him to watch film of the heavyweight championship match between [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Georges Carpentier]]. Impressed with Dempsey’s performance in that fight, young Schmeling became determined to imitate his new hero. He began boxing in amateur competitions and, by 1924, won Germany’s national amateur title in the light heavyweight division. Shortly thereafter he turned professional. Ironically, though he idolized the raging, brawling Dempsey, Max developed a careful, scientific style of fighting that leant itself more to counterpunching. Using this style, he got off to an impressive – though hardly sensational – start by winning seventeen of his first twenty-three bouts, thirteen by knockout. In 1925 he had the thrill of getting into the ring with Dempsey himself, who was then still heavyweight champion of the world and was touring Europe. Dempsey boxed for two rounds with the then unknown German and, according to a story later told by Schmeling, was greatly impressed. He proved Dempsey’s praises correct on August 24, 1926, when picking up the German light heavyweight championship with a first round knockout of rival [[Max Diekmann]], who had previously beaten Max. The next year, Schmeling won the European championship by stopping [[Fernand Delarge]] in the first boxing match broadcast live in Germany. After defending both titles against [[Hein Domgörgen]] the same year and , in 1928, the European Title with a first round knockout of [[Michele Bonaglia]] he secured the German heavyweight championship with a point victory against [[Franz Diener]] and decided to chase bigger fights and bigger purses in the United States. 
Arriving in New York City for the first time in 1928, Schmeling was hardly noticed by the American fight circles. Considered a stiff European fighter who had padded his record against German and European unknowns, he was given few opportunities to prove himself until he hooked up with American manager [[Joe Jacobs]], a man with the proper talents and connections to move Max’s career along a positive path. Schmeling’s debut in America took place at [[Madison Square Garden]] with an eighth round knockout of [[Joe Monte]], who was not a top flight heavyweight but nonetheless a young American who had been in with some tough competition. Two more victories led to a fight with [[Johnny Risko]], one of the biggest names in the division, though somewhat beyond his prime. On February 1, 1929, Schmeling floored Risko four times with his right hand before the referee halted the contest in the ninth round to save Risko from further punishment. The surprised crowd in attendance roared with appreciation and [[The Ring]] magazine subsequently recognized the win as its “Fight of the Year.”

==="Low Blow Champion"===
Boxing pundits were quickly changing their opinions of the German. When he defeated highly regarded Spaniard [[Paolino Uzcudun]] via fifteen round decision at Yankee Stadium later that year, Max was suddenly regarded as the foremost young contender in the division. With reigning heavyweight champion [[Gene Tunney]] recently retired promoters arranged a matchup between Max and veteran contender [[Jack Sharkey]] to fill the vacancy. On June 12, 1930, at Yankee Stadium, in a fight billed as the “Battle of the Continents,” Schmeling fell slightly behind on points going into the fourth round. Schmeling was trying to corner his opponent when Sharkey let loose with a blow to the body which strayed below the belt line. Max immediately clutched his groin and fell to the canvas, claiming to have been fouled. When manager Jacobs ran into the ring, prompting all kinds of chaos, the confused referee disqualified Sharkey and declared Schmeling the victor and the first (and only) man to win the heavyweight championship on a foul. The New York State Athletic Commission, reviewing the call, agreed. 
The first European-born boxer to win the heavyweight championship in thirty-three years, Max was also the first from Germany to hold the distinction. Still, the way in which he won the title proved an embarrassment. Called the “low blow champion” he was disparaged in both America and Europe as an unproven titleholder. When he initially refused to face Sharkey in a rematch, the [[New York State Athletic Commission]] officially stripped him of their recognition as world champion, but he remained recognized by both the [[National Boxing Association]] and The Ring magazine. Most of the criticism faded after Max’s first defense, an impressive fifteen round t.K.o. over [[Young Stribling]], a future hall of famer with 239 wins to his credit by 1931. In order to solidify his title as undisputed, Max signed a contract to face the Boston Gob once more. On June 21, 1932, the championship picture became even more muddled when Sharkey won a highly controversial split decision, taking the championship. Many in attendance, including Gene Tunney and the mayor of New York, felt that Max had proven himself the better man and was robbed. In losing the championship, the German had managed to elevate his reputation in the minds of boxing fans.

===Walker and Baer===
When Schmeling faced [[Mickey Walker]], the future hall of famer who had recently held Sharkey to a draw that many felt Walker deserved, it was thought by some that this fight was for the real heavyweight championship. Walker, a former welterweight, was a popular slugger who had won championships in two divisions but was at a considerably size disadvantage against Max. Though Mickey fought bravely and took the lead on points early in the fight, Schmeling showed both boxing ability and punching power in dealing out a terrific beating as the fight progressed. After eight exciting rounds, Walker’s corner threw in the towel, confirming Schmeling’s status as the leading heavyweight contender. 
With the coming of 1933, however, Schmeling’s image in America began to take a decided turn. In 1932, the Nazi Party became the most powerful political force in Germany and its ideologies, voiced by party leader Adolf Hitler, overflowed with anti-Semitic tendencies. Major American cities such as New York had large Jewish populations who worried over what the party could mean for people of their religion in the future. Schmeling, because he was German and because he refused to criticize the Nazis, was viewed as an extention of Hitler’s plans for world domination. When Schmeling was slated to fight heavy-hitting contender [[Max Baer]] on June 8, 1933, he immediately became the “bad guy” in the eyes of fans. Baer, who did not practice the Jewish religion but had a Jewish grandfather, came into the ring wearing the Star of David on his shorts. Promoter Jack Dempsey played up this angle and suddenly the fight was viewed as Baer defending his faith against the prejudice of the Nazis, represented reluctantly by Schmeling. Thrown off of his game in part by the bad publicity, but also because of Baer’s wild, brawling style and frequent fouls (including backhand punches and rabbit punches), Schmeling was positively thrashed for ten rounds before nearly 60,000 onlookers at Yankee Stadium. While the German took a vicious battering against the ropes in the tenth, the referee leapt in to stop the fight. The embarrassingly one-sided fight, combined with a follow-up loss to contender [[Steve Hamas]] early the next year, left many wondering if Schmeling was still a world class fighter.
===Dismantling the Bomber===
Returning to his native Germany, Max won three of his next four fights. His opponents were of an impressive caliber, but many among the American press and fans remained unmoved on the idea of rooting for Schmeling in light of the Nazi Party’s behavior. Articles continued to be published declaring the German “washed up,” a “has been,” or a “Nazi puppet.” When he was matched with undefeated African American sensation [[Joe Louis]] in 1936 for Max’s first fight on American soil in more than two years, he was clearly the betting underdog, considered a name opponent for Louis to roll over on his route to the title. Prior to the match, Schmeling carefully studied films of Louis’ prior fight with Max Baer, dissecting apparent flaws in the Detroit fighter’s technique. Among the weaknesses he noticed was the fact that Louis lowered his left hand after throwing a left jab. In the ring, Max exploited this subtle flaw to his own advantage, countering nearly every Louis jab with his best punch, the right cross. The fight proved to be a competitive, hard-hitting affair for the first three rounds, but, in the fourth, a counter right from the German dropped Louis for the first time in his career. Though Louis rose, he was badly dazed for the remainder of the fight and Schmeling subsequently delivered the finest performance of his career. For a further eight rounds he battered Louis, often standing toe-to-toe with the vaunted puncher and landing that same right hand to the jaw repeatedly. In the twelfth he sent Joe tumbling to the floor once more, and this time Louis could not recover. He was counted out on the floor and Schmeling had scored the most talked-about sports upset of the year. 
Now the unexpected number one contender for the heavyweight crown held by [[Jim Braddock]], Schmeling looked forward to his chance to regain the title, scheduled for that September. The fight was postponed, however, when Braddock injured his hand in training. Rumors existed that the fight’s organizers were stalling, afraid of the negative publicity that would be generated over a perceived Nazi getting a shot at the world’s title. When it was confirmed that Braddock’s managers were in talks with the Louis camp, the New York Commission officially released an order for Braddock to fight Schmeling for the title. Any other fight, with Louis or otherwise, would not be recognized by New York as being for the championship. The [[Madison Square Garden Corporation]], the largest promotional company in the sport at the time, even attempted to get a legal injunction against a Braddock-Louis fight (Louis was not on their roster). Nonetheless, in February in 1937, Schmeling received the bad news that the champion had indeed singed to defend his championship against Louis. A furious Max protested, but to no avail and was forced to watch from ringside as Louis knocked Braddock out and gained the championship.
Sorely disappointed and convinced that he would never receive his chance at redemption, Schmeling fought just once more in America, an eighth round knockout of fringe contender [[Harry Thomas]], before returning to Germany. In his native land, Schmeling was regarded as a hero and promoted by the Nazi propaganda machine as a perfect example of German supremacy over the rest of the world by virtue of his stunning defeat of the current champion, Louis. The government ordered parades and rallies in his honor. He became a friend to Hitler and other powerful figures in the government and also a popular subject of newspaper articles and films. He continued to press for a chance at a rematch with Louis and in the meantime padded his record against overmatched fighters [[Ben Foord]] and [[Steve Dudas]].
==="Battle of the Century"===
In 1938, champion Joe Louis announced that he would indeed face Schmeling for the title. The rematch became an instant international sensation. Many clamored impatiently for its happening, but others, afraid of international tensions and the possibility of Hitler taking over the championship, protested. The controversy and ballyhoo led to the even becoming the most anticipated boxing match since the rematch between Dempsey and Gene Tunney, or possibly earlier. Louis, with his poor, African American roots was adopted by American fans as the symbol of America as a land of opportunity. In contrast, Americans perceived Schmeling and his ties to Hitler as an obvious threat to those opportunities and ideals. When Max walked to the ring at Yankee Stadium on June 22, 1938, he did so under a hail of garbage thrown from the stands. Ironically, it was a less humiliating barrage than what he experienced in the ring. Louis came out blazing in the first round and Max tried to counterpunch as he had in the first bout, but to no avail. Driven into the ropes and battered with a fusillade of short, crisp blows from every angle, Max turned his back to his opponent and clutched onto the ropes, letting out a scream that years later many spectators could recall vividly. Schmeling would later claim that he screamed because he had been fouled with a blow to the kidneys. Max’s knees buckled under the punishment and referee [[Arthur Donovan]] pushed Louis away, beginning a count on Schmeling. Max reluctantly stepped away from the ropes and Donovan allowed him to continue. A few punches later, Max was laying on the canvas. From then on, he was helpless. He rose but fell moments later and Donovan stopped the fight. 
When he returned to Germany, Schmeling learned that the Nazi propagandists had stopped the radio broadcast of the fight halfway through the first round, embarrassed by Max’s performance. He was now shunned by the Nazis. Forced to continue his career for money, Max managed to win both the German and European heavyweight championships on the same night, with a first round knockout of [[Adolf Heuser]]. He then retired from boxing. As war tensions increased in Europe, and then throughout the world, Max did what he could to silently protest the Nazi regime. During the Nazi purge of Jews from Berlin, he personally saved the lives of two Jewish neighbors by hiding them in his house. He also visited American P.O.W. camps and occasionally tried to help conditions for the prisoners. He remained loyal to his country, however, and, drafted into the Germany Army during the second World War, he served honorably as a paratrooper. After the war, strapped for money, he embarked upon a moderately successful comeback in boxing, three of his five bouts before re-entering retirement in 1948. During the 1950s, Schmeling began working for the Coca-Cola Company’s offices in Germany. Before long he owned his own bottling plant and held an executive’s position within the company, making millions of dollars a year. In 1992, he was inducted into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]]. He lived his remaining years as a wealthy man and avid boxing fan, passing away on February 2, 2005 at the age of ninety-nine.
===Sources===
Bak, Richard. [[Joe Louis: The Great Black Hope]]. 1996. 
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Fleischer, Nat and Sam Andre. [[An Illustrated History of Boxing]]. 2001. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed. 2006. 
==Factoids==
 
*Named [[Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year]] for 1930.
*On July 25, 1930, Schmeling was saved from drowning in Lake Scharmnetzel (southeast of Berlin) after his motorboat capsized during a storm. A passing motorist hauled him out of the water.
*Max was the cousin of [[Nick Schmeling]] 

Autobiography: [[Max Schmeling: An Autobiography|''Max Schmeling: An Autobiography'']]

== Outside Links ==
[http://coxscorner.tripod.com/louismax.html The Joe Louis Knockout Punch] 
[http://www.bonus-books.com/bonus/subject/biography/mschmeling.html Autobiography] 
[http://www.ushmm.org/olympics/zcc036c.htm Olympics] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ German Bio] 
[http://www2.tagesspiegel.de/archiv/2001/09/27/ak-sp-6610346.html Another German piece] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ Biografien] 

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Gene Tunney]] Retired|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Jack Sharkey]]|
years=12 Jun 1930– 21 Jun 1932
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:German World Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World War II Veterans|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:2005 Deaths|Schmeling, Max]]

Max Schmeling

2007-10-04T21:29:20Z

Friedie: /* Early Years */

[[file:Schmeling.Max.jpg|left|Max Schmeling]]
<boxer>009041</boxer>
'''Trainer''': [[Max Machon]] 
'''Managers''': Max Machon, [[Joe Jacobs]]

==Career Overview==
In America, he was routinely cast by promoters as the cold-hearted, villainous invader, a puppet of Hitler and a hater of Jews. In Germany, Nazi propagandists portrayed him as a heroic symbol of German destiny and Aryan supremacy. In no way was '''Max Schmeling''' any of these things. He was a quality prizefighter with respectable boxing technique, a solid right hand punch, and a keen intellect. The clash of politics, ideals, and countries that often symbolically accompanied his biggest fights only took place within the perceptions of the audience; they had nothing to do with what happened in the ring. Instead of being respected for his multiple accomplishments in the ring, he spent much of his life derided in America as a Nazi and dismissed in Germany as a disappointment. It was only in his later life that his status as a fighter, apart from his cultural symbolism, could be clearly analyzed.
===Early Years===
Schmeling first became acquainted with boxing as a teenager, when his father took him to watch film of the heavyweight championship match between [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Georges Carpentier]]. Impressed with Dempsey’s performance in that fight, young Schmeling became determined to imitate his new hero. He began boxing in amateur competitions and, by 1924, won Germany’s national amateur title in the light heavyweight division. Shortly thereafter he turned professional. Ironically, though he idolized the raging, brawling Dempsey, Max developed a careful, scientific style of fighting that leant itself more to counterpunching. Using this style, he got off to an impressive – though hardly sensational – start by winning seventeen of his first twenty-three bouts, thirteen by knockout. In 1925 he had the thrill of getting into the ring with Dempsey himself, who was then still heavyweight champion of the world and was touring Europe. Dempsey boxed for two rounds with the then unknown German and, according to a story later told by Schmeling, was greatly impressed. He proved Dempsey’s praises correct on August 24, 1926, when picking up the German light heavyweight championship with a first round knockout of rival [[Max Diekmann]], who had previously beaten Max. The next year, Schmeling won the European championship by stopping [[Fernand Delarge]] in the first boxing match broadcast live in Germany. After defending both titles against [[Hein Domgörgen]] the same year and , in 1928, the European Title with a first round knockout of [[Michele Bonaglia]] he secured the German heavyweight championship with a point victory against [[Franz Diener]] and decided to chase bigger fights and bigger purses in the United States. 
Arriving in New York City for the first time in 1928, Schmeling was hardly noticed by the American fight circles. Considered a stiff European fighter who had padded his record against German and European unknowns, he was given few opportunities to prove himself until he hooked up with American manager [[Joe Jacobs]], a man with the proper talents and connections to move Max’s career along a positive path. Schmeling’s debut in America took place at [[Madison Square Garden]] with an eighth round knockout of [[Joe Monte]], who was not a top flight heavyweight but nonetheless a young American who had been in with some tough competition. Two more victories led to a fight with [[Johnny Risko]], one of the biggest names in the division, though somewhat beyond his prime. On February 1, 1929, Schmeling floored Risko four times with his right hand before the referee halted the contest in the ninth round to save Risko from further punishment. The surprised crowd in attendance roared with appreciation and [[The Ring]] magazine subsequently recognized the win as its “Fight of the Year.”

==="Low Blow Champion"===
Boxing pundits were quickly changing their opinions of the German. When he defeated highly regarded Spaniard [[Paolino Uzcudun]] via fifteen round decision at Yankee Stadium later that year, Max was suddenly regarded as the foremost young contender in the division. With reigning heavyweight champion [[Gene Tunney]] recently retired promoters arranged a matchup between Max and veteran contender [[Jack Sharkey]] to fill the vacancy. On June 12, 1930, at Yankee Stadium, in a fight billed as the “Battle of the Continents,” Schmeling fell badly behind on points going into the fourth round. Outboxed by Sharkey, Schmeling was trying to corner his opponent when Sharkey let loose with a blow to the body which may have strayed below the belt line. Max immediately clutched his groin and fell to the canvas, claiming to have been fouled. When manager Jacobs ran into the ring, prompting all kinds of chaos, the confused referee disqualified Sharkey and declared Schmeling the victor and the first (and only) man to win the heavyweight championship on a foul. The New York State Athletic Commission, reviewing the call, agreed. 
The first European-born boxer to win the heavyweight championship in thirty-three years, Max was also the first from Germany to hold the distinction. Still, the way in which he won the title proved an embarrassment. Called the “low blow champion” he was disparaged in both America and Europe as an undeserving titleholder. When he initially refused to face Sharkey in a rematch, the [[New York State Athletic Commission]] officially stripped him of their recognition as world champion, but he remained recognized by both the [[National Boxing Association]] and The Ring magazine. Some of the criticism faded after Max’s first defense, an impressive fifteen round decision over [[Young Stribling]], a future hall of famer with 239 wins to his credit by 1930. The New York Commission, meanwhile, had given their recognition as champion to Sharkey. Thus, in order to solidify his title as undisputed, Max was forced to sign a contract to face the Boston Gob once more. On June 21, 1932, the championship picture became even more muddled when Sharkey won a highly controversial split decision, taking the championship. Many in attendance felt that Max had proven himself the better man and was robbed. In losing the championship, the German had managed to elevate his reputation in the minds of boxing fans.
===Walker and Baer===
When Schmeling faced [[Mickey Walker]], the future hall of famer who had recently held Sharkey to a draw that many felt Walker deserved, it was thought by some that this fight was for the real heavyweight championship. Walker, a former welterweight, was a popular slugger who had won championships in two divisions but was at a considerably size disadvantage against Max. Though Mickey fought bravely and took the lead on points early in the fight, Schmeling showed both boxing ability and punching power in dealing out a terrific beating as the fight progressed. After eight exciting rounds, Walker’s corner threw in the towel, confirming Schmeling’s status as the leading heavyweight contender. 
With the coming of 1933, however, Schmeling’s image in America began to take a decided turn. In 1932, the Nazi Party became the most powerful political force in Germany and its ideologies, voiced by party leader Adolf Hitler, overflowed with anti-Semitic tendencies. Major American cities such as New York had large Jewish populations who worried over what the party could mean for people of their religion in the future. Schmeling, because he was German and because he refused to criticize the Nazis, was viewed as an extention of Hitler’s plans for world domination. When Schmeling was slated to fight heavy-hitting contender [[Max Baer]] on June 8, 1933, he immediately became the “bad guy” in the eyes of fans. Baer, who did not practice the Jewish religion but had a Jewish grandfather, came into the ring wearing the Star of David on his shorts. Promoter Jack Dempsey played up this angle and suddenly the fight was viewed as Baer defending his faith against the prejudice of the Nazis, represented reluctantly by Schmeling. Thrown off of his game in part by the bad publicity, but also because of Baer’s wild, brawling style and frequent fouls (including backhand punches and rabbit punches), Schmeling was positively thrashed for ten rounds before nearly 60,000 onlookers at Yankee Stadium. While the German took a vicious battering against the ropes in the tenth, the referee leapt in to stop the fight. The embarrassingly one-sided fight, combined with a follow-up loss to contender [[Steve Hamas]] early the next year, left many wondering if Schmeling was still a world class fighter.
===Dismantling the Bomber===
Returning to his native Germany, Max won three of his next four fights. His opponents were of an impressive caliber, but many among the American press and fans remained unmoved on the idea of rooting for Schmeling in light of the Nazi Party’s behavior. Articles continued to be published declaring the German “washed up,” a “has been,” or a “Nazi puppet.” When he was matched with undefeated African American sensation [[Joe Louis]] in 1936 for Max’s first fight on American soil in more than two years, he was clearly the betting underdog, considered a name opponent for Louis to roll over on his route to the title. Prior to the match, Schmeling carefully studied films of Louis’ prior fight with Max Baer, dissecting apparent flaws in the Detroit fighter’s technique. Among the weaknesses he noticed was the fact that Louis lowered his left hand after throwing a left jab. In the ring, Max exploited this subtle flaw to his own advantage, countering nearly every Louis jab with his best punch, the right cross. The fight proved to be a competitive, hard-hitting affair for the first three rounds, but, in the fourth, a counter right from the German dropped Louis for the first time in his career. Though Louis rose, he was badly dazed for the remainder of the fight and Schmeling subsequently delivered the finest performance of his career. For a further eight rounds he battered Louis, often standing toe-to-toe with the vaunted puncher and landing that same right hand to the jaw repeatedly. In the twelfth he sent Joe tumbling to the floor once more, and this time Louis could not recover. He was counted out on the floor and Schmeling had scored the most talked-about sports upset of the year. 
Now the unexpected number one contender for the heavyweight crown held by [[Jim Braddock]], Schmeling looked forward to his chance to regain the title, scheduled for that September. The fight was postponed, however, when Braddock injured his hand in training. Rumors existed that the fight’s organizers were stalling, afraid of the negative publicity that would be generated over a perceived Nazi getting a shot at the world’s title. When it was confirmed that Braddock’s managers were in talks with the Louis camp, the New York Commission officially released an order for Braddock to fight Schmeling for the title. Any other fight, with Louis or otherwise, would not be recognized by New York as being for the championship. The [[Madison Square Garden Corporation]], the largest promotional company in the sport at the time, even attempted to get a legal injunction against a Braddock-Louis fight (Louis was not on their roster). Nonetheless, in February in 1937, Schmeling received the bad news that the champion had indeed singed to defend his championship against Louis. A furious Max protested, but to no avail and was forced to watch from ringside as Louis knocked Braddock out and gained the championship.
Sorely disappointed and convinced that he would never receive his chance at redemption, Schmeling fought just once more in America, an eighth round knockout of fringe contender [[Harry Thomas]], before returning to Germany. In his native land, Schmeling was regarded as a hero and promoted by the Nazi propaganda machine as a perfect example of German supremacy over the rest of the world by virtue of his stunning defeat of the current champion, Louis. The government ordered parades and rallies in his honor. He became a friend to Hitler and other powerful figures in the government and also a popular subject of newspaper articles and films. He continued to press for a chance at a rematch with Louis and in the meantime padded his record against overmatched fighters [[Ben Foord]] and [[Steve Dudas]].
==="Battle of the Century"===
In 1938, champion Joe Louis announced that he would indeed face Schmeling for the title. The rematch became an instant international sensation. Many clamored impatiently for its happening, but others, afraid of international tensions and the possibility of Hitler taking over the championship, protested. The controversy and ballyhoo led to the even becoming the most anticipated boxing match since the rematch between Dempsey and Gene Tunney, or possibly earlier. Louis, with his poor, African American roots was adopted by American fans as the symbol of America as a land of opportunity. In contrast, Americans perceived Schmeling and his ties to Hitler as an obvious threat to those opportunities and ideals. When Max walked to the ring at Yankee Stadium on June 22, 1938, he did so under a hail of garbage thrown from the stands. Ironically, it was a less humiliating barrage than what he experienced in the ring. Louis came out blazing in the first round and Max tried to counterpunch as he had in the first bout, but to no avail. Driven into the ropes and battered with a fusillade of short, crisp blows from every angle, Max turned his back to his opponent and clutched onto the ropes, letting out a scream that years later many spectators could recall vividly. Schmeling would later claim that he screamed because he had been fouled with a blow to the kidneys. Max’s knees buckled under the punishment and referee [[Arthur Donovan]] pushed Louis away, beginning a count on Schmeling. Max reluctantly stepped away from the ropes and Donovan allowed him to continue. A few punches later, Max was laying on the canvas. From then on, he was helpless. He rose but fell moments later and Donovan stopped the fight. 
When he returned to Germany, Schmeling learned that the Nazi propagandists had stopped the radio broadcast of the fight halfway through the first round, embarrassed by Max’s performance. He was now shunned by the Nazis. Forced to continue his career for money, Max managed to win both the German and European heavyweight championships on the same night, with a first round knockout of [[Adolf Heuser]]. He then retired from boxing. As war tensions increased in Europe, and then throughout the world, Max did what he could to silently protest the Nazi regime. During the Nazi purge of Jews from Berlin, he personally saved the lives of two Jewish neighbors by hiding them in his house. He also visited American P.O.W. camps and occasionally tried to help conditions for the prisoners. He remained loyal to his country, however, and, drafted into the Germany Army during the second World War, he served honorably as a paratrooper. After the war, strapped for money, he embarked upon a moderately successful comeback in boxing, three of his five bouts before re-entering retirement in 1948. During the 1950s, Schmeling began working for the Coca-Cola Company’s offices in Germany. Before long he owned his own bottling plant and held an executive’s position within the company, making millions of dollars a year. In 1992, he was inducted into the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]]. He lived his remaining years as a wealthy man and avid boxing fan, passing away on February 2, 2005 at the age of ninety-nine.
===Sources===
Bak, Richard. [[Joe Louis: The Great Black Hope]]. 1996. 
Fleischer, Nat. [[The Heavyweight Championship]]. 1961. 
Fleischer, Nat and Sam Andre. [[An Illustrated History of Boxing]]. 2001. 
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. [[The Boxing Register]]. 4th ed. 2006. 
==Factoids==
 
*Named [[Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year]] for 1930.
*On July 25, 1930, Schmeling was saved from drowning in Lake Scharmnetzel (southeast of Berlin) after his motorboat capsized during a storm. A passing motorist hauled him out of the water.
*Max was the cousin of [[Nick Schmeling]] 

Autobiography: [[Max Schmeling: An Autobiography|''Max Schmeling: An Autobiography'']]

== Outside Links ==
[http://coxscorner.tripod.com/louismax.html The Joe Louis Knockout Punch] 
[http://www.bonus-books.com/bonus/subject/biography/mschmeling.html Autobiography] 
[http://www.ushmm.org/olympics/zcc036c.htm Olympics] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ German Bio] 
[http://www2.tagesspiegel.de/archiv/2001/09/27/ak-sp-6610346.html Another German piece] 
[http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/SchmelingMax/ Biografien] 

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Gene Tunney]] Retired|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Jack Sharkey]]|
years=12 Jun 1930– 21 Jun 1932
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:German World Champions|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:World War II Veterans|Schmeling, Max]]
[[Category:2005 Deaths|Schmeling, Max]]