Hasan Davis scores a knockout
Portrayal of Joe Louis earns a standing ovation at Chautauqua
By DONNA HICKMAN
Daily Journal Staff Writer
Daily Journal Staff Writer
Sunday, July 20, 2008
BONNE TERRE — It’s hard to say who had the greatest impact on the audience at the Big River Chautauqua Friday night — Joe Louis or the man who portrayed him.
As Hasan Davis brought the prizefighter’s life to the stage he told how Louis overcame the odds to become the heavyweight champion of the world.
After his presentation as Louis, Hasan talked about his own life. The Berea, Ky. native’s own troubled youth almost set him on the wrong path. But, his mother’s belief in him kept him working to make the right choices.
“After the first time I got in trouble when I was 11 years old, she told me, ‘If only you could see what I see when I look at you,’ and she told me what was important was that I made the right choice the next time,” said Davis. “I tried to remember that.”
He graduated from college and law school and now works as a motivational speaker for youth.
“I wish there had been more young people here to hear him,” said a retired school teacher. “His message, and the one he gave from Joe Louis was really for them.”
Hasan has portrayed Joe Louis a few times after promising the late Joe Layden he would one day bring him to Chautauqua. Mike Layden made sure Davis made good on that promise and Davis happily complied for this year’s “Sports — Changing the Face of America” that began Thursday with a presentation by Sherrie Toilliver as Wilma Rudolph. Sportscaster Howard Cosell wrapped up the annual event in the big white tent behind the new city hall Saturday. A report on his show will be published in Monday’s Daily Journal.
Davis wore a suit and tie, rather than boxing trunks, to portray the fighter as he might have been just after World War II.
“I always say I don’t wear a suit to fight and I don’t wear boxing trunks to speak,” Hasan as Louis said as he took the stage, earning the first laugh from the audience of about 250 people. His soft-spoken, yet strong voice conveyed the essence of the man with deep convictions who would become known as “The Brown Bomber.”
Joe Louis’ mother dreamed he would learn to play the violin. But, he took the money she gave him for lessons and rented a locker at a local gym instead and that’s where he learned to fight. He wanted a better life than he could find working at the Ford plant in Detroit. It wasn’t long before he was winning fights and learning the lessons it would take to make him a world champ.
“They told me every time you are in the ring and you knock a white man down, it’s got to look like the saddest day of your life,” he said putting a sad, mournful expression on his face. When he fought World Champion Primo Carnera in 1935, he earned $50,000 for knocking him out in 15 minutes. He fought former champ Max Baer and won. He kept winning as he fought the best fighters of the time. Then, he came up against German Max Schmeling, a fighter thought to be “Hitler’s weapon.”
“They said he is coming to America to show the world Negroes ain’t nothing but animals,” said Davis as Louis. And the 12 rounds he went with Schmeling gave Louis the worst beating of his life in 1936.
“Max Schmeling rode home on the Hindenburg talking about the superiority of the Aryan race,” he said. Louis went home to nurse his wounded spirit.
Louis was more determined to win than ever after that and though he did, he said he could never be World Champion until he beat Schmeling. When they met in the ring in 1938, he did.
“I gave him one for Hitler, one for the KKK and one for every Negro that had been hung from a tree,” said Louis. “It took 124 seconds — that’s how long it takes for a man to make his country proud of him again.”
Indeed, everybody in the nation cheered.
President Roosevelt said they needed his muscle in the military and eventually, Louis joined the Army. He gave up the millions he made for $28 a week in military pay. Ultimately, he donated $100,000 to the government to help military families and the IRS taxed him on every penny of it.
Still, his patriotism never wavered. He said, “Nowhere else in the world could a sharecropper’s son become what I became but right here in America. When people ask me who I am, I say ‘I’m Joe Louis, an American or sometimes I say, I’m Joe Louis, a Negro man.’ I’m proud of both. Nobody can beat us as long as we fight for the right reasons.”
As he left the stage, the audience rose to its feet in applause.
In later years, Joe Louis’ health deteriorated and he died of a heart attack at the age of 66 on April 12, 1981. President Ronald Reagan — whom Louis had come to know when he was in the Army — gave special permission for him to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Sponsors of this year’s Chautauqua, which depends upon private donations from individuals and businesses, were Sen. Kevin Engler, Parkland Health Center and First State Community Bank.
Donna Hickman is a reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact her at 431-2010, ext. 138 or at dhickman@dailyjournalonline.com.
As Hasan Davis brought the prizefighter’s life to the stage he told how Louis overcame the odds to become the heavyweight champion of the world.
After his presentation as Louis, Hasan talked about his own life. The Berea, Ky. native’s own troubled youth almost set him on the wrong path. But, his mother’s belief in him kept him working to make the right choices.
“After the first time I got in trouble when I was 11 years old, she told me, ‘If only you could see what I see when I look at you,’ and she told me what was important was that I made the right choice the next time,” said Davis. “I tried to remember that.”
He graduated from college and law school and now works as a motivational speaker for youth.
“I wish there had been more young people here to hear him,” said a retired school teacher. “His message, and the one he gave from Joe Louis was really for them.”
Hasan has portrayed Joe Louis a few times after promising the late Joe Layden he would one day bring him to Chautauqua. Mike Layden made sure Davis made good on that promise and Davis happily complied for this year’s “Sports — Changing the Face of America” that began Thursday with a presentation by Sherrie Toilliver as Wilma Rudolph. Sportscaster Howard Cosell wrapped up the annual event in the big white tent behind the new city hall Saturday. A report on his show will be published in Monday’s Daily Journal.
Davis wore a suit and tie, rather than boxing trunks, to portray the fighter as he might have been just after World War II.
“I always say I don’t wear a suit to fight and I don’t wear boxing trunks to speak,” Hasan as Louis said as he took the stage, earning the first laugh from the audience of about 250 people. His soft-spoken, yet strong voice conveyed the essence of the man with deep convictions who would become known as “The Brown Bomber.”
Joe Louis’ mother dreamed he would learn to play the violin. But, he took the money she gave him for lessons and rented a locker at a local gym instead and that’s where he learned to fight. He wanted a better life than he could find working at the Ford plant in Detroit. It wasn’t long before he was winning fights and learning the lessons it would take to make him a world champ.
“They told me every time you are in the ring and you knock a white man down, it’s got to look like the saddest day of your life,” he said putting a sad, mournful expression on his face. When he fought World Champion Primo Carnera in 1935, he earned $50,000 for knocking him out in 15 minutes. He fought former champ Max Baer and won. He kept winning as he fought the best fighters of the time. Then, he came up against German Max Schmeling, a fighter thought to be “Hitler’s weapon.”
“They said he is coming to America to show the world Negroes ain’t nothing but animals,” said Davis as Louis. And the 12 rounds he went with Schmeling gave Louis the worst beating of his life in 1936.
“Max Schmeling rode home on the Hindenburg talking about the superiority of the Aryan race,” he said. Louis went home to nurse his wounded spirit.
Louis was more determined to win than ever after that and though he did, he said he could never be World Champion until he beat Schmeling. When they met in the ring in 1938, he did.
“I gave him one for Hitler, one for the KKK and one for every Negro that had been hung from a tree,” said Louis. “It took 124 seconds — that’s how long it takes for a man to make his country proud of him again.”
Indeed, everybody in the nation cheered.
President Roosevelt said they needed his muscle in the military and eventually, Louis joined the Army. He gave up the millions he made for $28 a week in military pay. Ultimately, he donated $100,000 to the government to help military families and the IRS taxed him on every penny of it.
Still, his patriotism never wavered. He said, “Nowhere else in the world could a sharecropper’s son become what I became but right here in America. When people ask me who I am, I say ‘I’m Joe Louis, an American or sometimes I say, I’m Joe Louis, a Negro man.’ I’m proud of both. Nobody can beat us as long as we fight for the right reasons.”
As he left the stage, the audience rose to its feet in applause.
In later years, Joe Louis’ health deteriorated and he died of a heart attack at the age of 66 on April 12, 1981. President Ronald Reagan — whom Louis had come to know when he was in the Army — gave special permission for him to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Sponsors of this year’s Chautauqua, which depends upon private donations from individuals and businesses, were Sen. Kevin Engler, Parkland Health Center and First State Community Bank.
Donna Hickman is a reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact her at 431-2010, ext. 138 or at dhickman@dailyjournalonline.com.
Ads by Yahoo!
Reader Comments (0)The comments below are from readers and do not represent the views of the Daily Journal
Search the archives
Last 30 Days
Advanced Search
Advanced Search
This Week's Most Viewed Stories
» All Most Viewed
This Week's Most Commented Stories
» Latest Comments
- Stem Cell Research (20)
- Council kills request to build duplexes in subdivision (17)
- Police seek man who attempted robbery (13)
- No lions, tigers or bears in city limits (11)
- Police make traffic stop, find meth (10)
» Latest Comments
This Week's Most Emailed Stories