Max Schmeling died at age 99. I skimmed through the obituary in the New York Times and soon found myself reading it. I had no idea that this man was such a champion, not merely of boxing but of life.
His friendship with Joe Louis and his quiet dedication to human rights in Nazi-era Germany should be applauded by more people. His defiance of the Nazi power elite to save his marriage and his business partners is remarkable, given the ruthlessness with which the Nazis reportedly ran things. I have never been a devotee of boxing, but I will need to read up on this man.
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Also passing away today was award-winning actor Ossie Davis. Like Schmeling, Davis was a fighter for human rights, in Davis's case, particularly civil rights for black Americans. Personally, I loved listening to Davis's voice, and he imbued characters with class.
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