Joe Louis, My Champion

It's 1937 and little Sammy is inspired by Joe Louis to become a boxer. Everyone is looking forward to hearing the big championship fight between Louis and James J. Braddock on the neighborhood's only radio, and Sammy has been helping a friend with his homework in exchange for boxing lessons. Though it quickly becomes apparent that Sammy will never be much of a boxer, his father counsels him that his hero Louis has proven that he can be a champion at anything, and that Sammy will be able to overcome any prejudice directed against him as an African-American. Colorful oil paintings enhance the story, and an afterword focuses on Louis's spectacular later career in the ring. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.