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SAUNDERS: HBO's documentary on Louis a knockout

Dusty Saunders, Special to the Rocky

Published February 18, 2008 at 12:45 a.m.

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Die-hard boxing fans probably are aware of a televised heavyweight bout coming up Saturday night.

Wladimir Klitschko battles Sultan Ibragimov.

Household names both.

While HBO is billing this as World Championship Boxing, it's not, as they say in the fight business, "the feature attraction."

The bout is sandwiched between Joe Louis: America's Hero . . . Betrayed, a terrific documentary, premiering at 6 p.m. and repeated after the heavyweight battle.

Younger sports fans might not be that familiar with the heroic - and tragic - career of Louis, a career that transcends both the boxing ring and the entire sports arena.

The grandson of a slave, Louis became one the greatest heavyweights of all time and served as an iconic figure - for whites and blacks - during World War II.

Unlike some past national sports heroes whose final days were filled with dignity, Louis died in 1981 after a stroke, a broken man because of drug abuse and constant harassment by government officials, particularly the Internal Revenue Service.

Thus, the word "betrayed" is part of the title of the 90-minute documentary that covers all aspects of Louis' professional and personal life.

This HBO production is not the first venture to be critical of how the U.S. government turned its back on a black sports star who showed the world what a person of color could do if given the opportunity.

Several other biographies have outlined how the government, while making "deals" with other notable entertainers and sports figures in tax disputes, regularly hounded Louis until his death.

Louis posthumously received a Medal of Honor and was given a full military funeral and burial in Arlington National Cemetery. But for many, such honors after death left a bitter taste since Louis, in life, was "betrayed" by his own country. The film does not gloss over Louis' financial and lifestyle problems.

His son, Joe Louis Barrow Jr., who has had a Denver connection, notes that during World War II, Louis continued to spend at the same rate he did while fighting.

"He would buy tickets for servicemen to attend his exhibitions," Barrow says. "Dad's accountants would deduct that but the IRS wouldn't.

"The tax meter continued to run while he was trying to do a legitimate, wonderful thing for the servicemen in his country."

During World war II, Louis spent four years in the U.S. Army, raising money for the USO and the overall war effort.

Earlier, Louis had knocked out Germany's Max Schmeling in the first round of their highly publicized second bout (Schmeling had knocked out Louis in Round 12 in 1937).

Louis' victory, on June 22, 1938, before 80,000 fans at Yankee Stadium, was interpreted as democracy's win over Nazism. More than 100 million people, in all parts of the world, listened on radio.

Born May 13, 1914, in LaFayette, Ala., Louis, known as the "Brown Bomber," was America's first true crossover athlete, worshipped by black and white fans. Louis' boxing career began in 1934. He won his first 27 fights, all but four by knockouts.

After winning the heavyweight title in 1937, Louis defended his crown 25 straight times, often fighting "the bum of the month."

Was Joe Louis the greatest heavyweight ever? Part of the documentary's appeal is a brief debate on this issue.

The program follows the winning style of recent HBO Sports specials, which have profiled UCLA's John Wooden and examined the emotional history of the Chicago Cubs, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Ohio State-Michigan football rivalry.

Brisk narration, coupled with archival photos, old newsreels, more recent video and commentary by those who knew him provide an involving study.

A comment by the late sportswriter Jimmy Cannon sums up Louis: "He was a credit to his race - the human race."

SHORT SHOTS: As part of Black History Month, FSN Rocky Mountain (6:30 p.m. Wednesday) profiles former Broncos quarterback Marlin Briscoe (1968) and Billy Thompson, a Broncos Ring of Fame member.

* Controversial quote? "I do not want to suggest that Jackie Robinson was not a national hero. But to suggest that he was the path breaker for black athletes is historically inaccurate. The first was Joe Louis." - Chris Mead, author of Champion Joe Louis.

Dusty Saunders writes periodically about sports broadcasting. Contact him at tvtime@Comcast.net