Climbing the ranks to the Heavyweight title, boxing great Joe Louis was embraced by America as a hero on both athletic and political fronts. Portrayed in this 1940s hand-held puppet (though he was anything but a “puppet” to white promoters), Louis is ready and able to deliver knockout blows from the left or right. Standing 9-1/2”-tall, the plastic figurine depicts a black fighter with a teal-colored cloth robe. At the bottom, a thin plastic rod provides a firm grip, and there are (2) metallic levers on the back to facilitate movement of the hinged arms. The piece is fully functional, though the cloth robe shows wear.
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