Program from a dinner/dance honoring Joe Louis, held at the Americana Hotel in new York on November 28, 1971, 8.5 x 11, signed and inscribed on the first page in felt tip, “To Gary from Jackie Robinson,” and also signed in ballpoint by Joe Louis, Joe Frazier, and Muhammad Ali, who also inscribes to Gary. In fine condition.
Oh, to be a fly on the wall at this gathering. Scratch that...to be an invited attendee at this event honoring Joe Louis! It had to be quite the scene. Held eight months after “The Fight of the Century”—in which Frazier dealt Ali his first professional loss—”The Greatest” must’ve been itching for a re-match the entire night...when he wasn’t negatively viewing Louis for his perceived subservient manner in regards to white authority figures. While Ali and Frazier were at the top of their game at this event, iconic figures such as Robinson and Louis himself were past their prime. Heart disease and diabetes had weakened Robinson, as had the death of his son five month earlier. Yet the man who broke baseball’s color barrier was still there, undoubtedly smiling for fans and, obviously, signing autographs—just as he would be the following October, throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 2 of the World Series, just nine days before his death. As for the man of the hour, Louis was dealing with the effects of drug abuse and paranoia. But for a brief period on this fall evening in 1971, some of the biggest and history-making names in the world of sports paid tribute to The Bronx Bomber. A stunning quartet of some of the greatest African American athletes of the century. Pre-certified Steve Grad/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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