Joe E. Martin
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (July 2017) |
Joe E. Martin | |
---|---|
Louisville Police Department | |
Service years | 1937–1974 |
Rank | Sworn in as an officer (1937) |
Joseph Elsby Martin Sr., (February 1, 1916 – September 14, 1996) was an American boxing coach who trained two world heavyweight champions, Muhammad Ali and Jimmy Ellis, as well as several national Golden Gloves champions.
Early life
Joe Martin was born February 1, 1916, in Louisville, Kentucky, the son of Joe and Minerva "Sancia" (Shaw) Martin. Both of his parents died before he reached his first birthday, so he was raised by his mother's sister, his Aunt Emma and his uncle Clarence Neal who moved to Pueblo, Colorado and later moved to Alhambra, Phoenix, Arizona. On March 4, 1941, he married Christine Fentress, and they had one child, Joe Jr., who himself became a national Golden Gloves champion.
Boxing coach and police officer
He came to
Martin, himself a white man, was an early leader in Louisville's civil rights movement. At the time the future Muhammad Ali began training there, Columbia Gym was racially integrated, unlike other Louisville boxing gyms of that period.[1]
Muhammad Ali's first coach
In 1954, a twelve-year-old then known as Cassius Clay approached Martin to report that his bicycle had been stolen and told Martin that he wanted to "whup" the thief. Martin offered to teach him how to box and guided his career for the next six years. As a 1960 Olympic coach, Martin accompanied the champion to the Olympic Games in Rome, Italy, when Ali won a gold medal. In the 1950s and 1960s, Martin helped produce a weekly television show on WAVE-TV called Tomorrow's Champions, which was broadcast for twelve years. After winning the gold medal, Ali began his professional career but maintained contact with Martin until his death. In the 1970s, Martin appeared on a nationally televised episode of "This Is Your Life," when Ali was the featured guest.[2]
Retirement and death
After retirement, Martin started a business as an
See also
References
- ^ a b Proffitt, Doug (May 7, 2015). "Tracing a legend: How a smelly gym changed Louisville". Louisville, KY: WHAS-TV. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
- ^ "Muhammad Ali - "This is your Life", location 16:43". Archived from the original on December 19, 2021.
- Dennis, Kenneth (2001). "Martin, Joe Elsby". In Kleber, John E. (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Louisville. OCLC 247857447.