Thrifty Thursday: Framed Joe Louis photo clipping a knockout discovery
Everyone loves a bargain. This week’s find comes from retired educator Brian Matney of Virginia Beach.
What: framed newspaper photo clipping of boxing legend Joe Louis Cost: less than 80 cents
Where: CHKD Thrift Store, Monticello Avenue in Norfolk
What makes it special: Wanted to share this small, yet significant, keepsake I recently discovered.
This 3 -inch x 4-inch item includes a simple black-and-white newspaper photo of famed boxer and national hero Joe Louis, lovingly placed in what is an ornate, yet now wellworn, frame.
Reared in Detroit, Louis would rise to international acclaim as he fought racial stereotypes and reigned as the world heavyweight champion for over eleven consecutive years beginning in 1937. Upon his ultimate retirement from the ring, he had amassed a record of 66-3, with 22 of those victories coming by knockout. After hanging up the gloves, he continued to effect change, helping to begin integration of the game of golf, another of his athletic pursuits. In 1952, he became the first African American to play in a PGA event, as an amateur and on a sponsor’s exemption in the inaugural year of the San Diego Open.
He was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 1982, shortly after his passing at the age 66. Joe Louis Plaza surrounding Madison Square Garden, the venue for a host of his title defenses, and his hometown’s Joe Louis Arena (1979-2017) are among sites that have been named in his honor.
I’m assuming the photo comes from some time in the 1940s, at the height of his heyday. I have to wonder, after finding this treasure in Norfolk, did the clipping come from the very pages of The Virginian-Pilot itself all those years ago? Was its owner a fan who also hailed from the Motor City, or was it a young person who grew up here revering this notable role model? Was it kept in one’s pocket or displayed by a night table as a daily reminder of all one could accomplish through hard work and tenacity in fighting prejudice and discrimination?
Although we’ll never have answers to such questions, the photo is now proudly displayed in a curio I have in our home dedicated to historical items and sports memorabilia. It may have cost a mere 78 cents, but this item is invaluable to me — a powerful reminder of not only this champion’s battles in the ring, but our nation’s ongoing fight for equality.
Your turn
Thrift shop and yard sale enthusiasts, here’s your chance to let others gush over your nifty finds.
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What to include: Item, price, where found and what makes it special. Include your name, occupation, city and phone number. High-resolution photos are welcome.