August 2: In his first professional boxing match ... Louis marries Marva Trotter. June 19: The first Louis-Schmeling fight at Yankee Stadium ends with a surprise knockout victory by Schmeling ...

Joe Louis was the 10-to-1 favorite over the German boxer Max Schmeling before their first bout on June 19, 1936. Each man was fighting for a shot at the world heavyweight boxing championship.

Louis, on the other hand, converted all into his corner. When "The Brown Bomber" avenged his loss to Germany's Max Schmeling - viewed as a Nazi symbol - the entire country celebrated, not just ...