Joe E. Martin
Encyclopedia
Joe Elsby Martin, Sr., was an American
boxing
coach who trained two world heavyweight
champions, Muhammad Ali
and Jimmy Ellis
, as well as several national Golden Gloves
champions.
. He was orphaned before he reached a year old and was raised by an aunt in Phoenix, Arizona
. He married Christine Fentress on March 4, 1941, and had one child, Joe Jr., who himself became a national Golden Gloves champion.
, in 1937 and joined the Louisville Police Department, serving until his retirement in 1974. In 1938 he became a boxing coach at the Columbia Gym in Louisville, where, in 1954, he began coaching three-time world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali
, who was then known as Cassius Clay. During this time, he also trained Jimmy Ellis
as well as eleven National Golden Gloves champions.
coach, Martin accompanied the champion to the Olympic Games in Rome, Italy, when Ali won a gold medal. In the 1950s 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 1977, Martin was inducted into the Amateur Boxing Hall of Fame.
of Jefferson County, Kentucky
. He fell ill in the late summer of 1996 and died in Louisville on September 14. He was buried in Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Leitchfield, Kentucky
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
coach who trained two world heavyweight
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
champions, Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
and Jimmy Ellis
Jimmy Ellis
James Albert "Jimmy" Ellis is a retired boxer from Louisville, Kentucky. He fought in what some consider to be the greatest heavyweight era of all-time, which included Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Jerry Quarry, Floyd Patterson, Oscar Bonavena, Earnie Shavers and George Chuvalo among...
, as well as several national Golden Gloves
Golden Gloves
The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States. The Golden Gloves is often the term used to refer to the National Golden Gloves competition, but it also can represent several other amateur tournaments, including regional golden gloves...
champions.
Early life
Joe Martin was born February 1, 1916, in ColoradoColorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. He was orphaned before he reached a year old and was raised by an aunt in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
. He married Christine Fentress on March 4, 1941, and had one child, Joe Jr., who himself became a national Golden Gloves champion.
Boxing coach and police officer
He came to Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, in 1937 and joined the Louisville Police Department, serving until his retirement in 1974. In 1938 he became a boxing coach at the Columbia Gym in Louisville, where, in 1954, he began coaching three-time world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
, who was then known as Cassius Clay. During this time, he also trained Jimmy Ellis
Jimmy Ellis
James Albert "Jimmy" Ellis is a retired boxer from Louisville, Kentucky. He fought in what some consider to be the greatest heavyweight era of all-time, which included Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Jerry Quarry, Floyd Patterson, Oscar Bonavena, Earnie Shavers and George Chuvalo among...
as well as eleven National Golden Gloves champions.
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 Olympic1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
coach, Martin accompanied the champion to the Olympic Games in Rome, Italy, when Ali won a gold medal. In the 1950s Martin helped produce a weekly television show on WAVE-TV called Tomorrow's Champions
Tomorrow's Champions
Tomorrow's Champions was a local television program in Louisville, Kentucky, which featured bouts between local amateur boxers. It aired on NBC affiliate WAVE from 1954 to 1966. It was produced by Louisville police officer and boxing trainer Joe Martin. Future World Heavyweight Champions Muhammad...
, which was broadcast for twelve years. After winning the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
, Ali began his professional career but maintained contact with Martin until his death. In 1977, Martin was inducted into the Amateur Boxing Hall of Fame.
Retirement and death
After retirement, Martin started a business as an auctioneer and twice ran unsuccessfully for SheriffSheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Jefferson County, Kentucky
Jefferson County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 693,604 people, 287,012 households, and 183,113 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 305,835 housing units at an average density of...
. He fell ill in the late summer of 1996 and died in Louisville on September 14. He was buried in Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Leitchfield, Kentucky
Leitchfield, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,139 people, 2,485 households, and 1,615 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 2,797 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.63% White, 1.56% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.18%...
.
External links
- Find-a-Grave Entry http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9517454