Louis Laurie
Encyclopedia
Louis "Lou" Daniel Laurie (November 19, 1917 – December 26, 2002) was an American
boxer
who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics
.
In 1936 he won the bronze medal in the flyweight class after winning the third place fight against Alfredo Carlomagno
.
. Lou graduated from East Technical High School and went to work as a service station attendant. He was acrobatic champion of Cleveland for two years.
for being the most scientific boxer in all classes that year.
From Berlin
, Lou travelled to Hamburg
. Then he went to Le Havre
, France. Then to Cobb, Ireland, Plymoth, England and parts of Holland.
He went to Chicago where he had six bouts under Jack Hurley's banner. After defeating Eddie Lander, he returned home, got his old job back pumping gas and gave up boxing for one year. Then, heeding the advice of his friend, Max Minnich, once a promising heavyweight, Lou Laurie re-entered the boxing game - and won a six-round decision at the Ridgewood Grove.
Jack Bluman, manager of Julie Kogan, was then handling the affairs of the clever battler. He continued as a featherweight though his ambitions were to compete in the bantamweight division.
He retired in 1941 after a relatively unsuccessful career, having won 5, lost 8, and drawn 1.
Nursing and Health Care Center. Survivors included one son, Joseph.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
boxer
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...
who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
.
In 1936 he won the bronze medal in the flyweight class after winning the third place fight against Alfredo Carlomagno
Alfredo Carlomagno
Alfredo Cipriano Carlomagno is an Argentine boxer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.In 1936 he finished fourth in the flyweight class. He lost in the semi-finals to Willy Kaiser and was not able to compete in the bronze medal both with Louis Laurie.-External links:*...
.
Personal
Laurie was born to an Italian father and a Slovak mother in Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. Lou graduated from East Technical High School and went to work as a service station attendant. He was acrobatic champion of Cleveland for two years.
Amateur career
Although he competed in only 22 amateur bouts, Laurie accomplished a great deal during that time. He went to Berlin with the Olympic team where he won three out of his four bouts, earning the bronze medal. So impressive was Laurie's boxing style that he was requested to give an exhibition. He remained in Germany two months and was presented with the Val Barker trophyVal Barker Trophy
The Val Barker Trophy, named for boxer Val Barker, is presented every four years to an Olympic boxing athlete who exemplifies style during competition.-Recipients:...
for being the most scientific boxer in all classes that year.
From Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Lou travelled to Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. Then he went to Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
, France. Then to Cobb, Ireland, Plymoth, England and parts of Holland.
Olympic results
- Defeated Rudolf BezděkRudolf BezdekRudolf Bezděk is a Czech boxer who competed for Czechoslovakia in the 1936 Summer Olympics.In 1936 he was eliminated in the first round of the flyweight class after losing his fight to the upcoming bronze medalist Louis Laurie....
(Czechoslovakia) points - Defeated Asbjørn Berg-HansenAsbjørn Berg-HansenAsbjørn Berg-Hansen was a Norwegian boxer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.-Amateur career:...
(Norway) points - Defeated Edmund SobkowiakEdmund SobkowiakEdmund Sobkowiak was a Polish boxer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.He was born in Poznań.In 1936 he was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the flyweight class after losing his fight to the upcoming bronze medalist Louis Laurie.-External links:*...
(Poland) points - Lost to Gavino MattaGavino MattaGavino Matta was an Italian boxer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics. He was born in Sassari....
(Italy) points - Defeated Alfredo CarlomagnoAlfredo CarlomagnoAlfredo Cipriano Carlomagno is an Argentine boxer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.In 1936 he finished fourth in the flyweight class. He lost in the semi-finals to Willy Kaiser and was not able to compete in the bronze medal both with Louis Laurie.-External links:*...
(Argentina) points (Bronze medal match)
Professional career
When Laurie came back home in 1937, he turned pro under the care of Sam Barber, who had started Paul Perrone. Under Sam, Lou fought eight battles, losing two of them.He went to Chicago where he had six bouts under Jack Hurley's banner. After defeating Eddie Lander, he returned home, got his old job back pumping gas and gave up boxing for one year. Then, heeding the advice of his friend, Max Minnich, once a promising heavyweight, Lou Laurie re-entered the boxing game - and won a six-round decision at the Ridgewood Grove.
Jack Bluman, manager of Julie Kogan, was then handling the affairs of the clever battler. He continued as a featherweight though his ambitions were to compete in the bantamweight division.
He retired in 1941 after a relatively unsuccessful career, having won 5, lost 8, and drawn 1.
Return to boxing
Laurie returned to Europe and re-entered the ring briefly while serving in the Army during World War II.Honors
He was inducted into the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 1984. Four years later, the Ohio State Former Boxers and Associates gave him a similar honor.Death
Laurie, 85, died December 26, 2002, at BeachwoodBeachwood, Ohio
-External links:* *...
Nursing and Health Care Center. Survivors included one son, Joseph.
Trivia
- Laurie was one of five athletes from Cleveland's East Technical High School to compete in the 1936 Olympics. Teammate Jesse OwensJesse OwensJames Cleveland "Jesse" Owens was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the sprints and the long jump. He participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the...
won four gold medals in track events. Dave AlbrittonDave AlbrittonDave Albritton had a long career that spanned three decades and numerous titles and was one of the first high jumpers to use the straddle technique. He was born in Danville, Alabama....
won the silver in the high jump, and Jack WilsonJack Wilson (boxer)Jack Wilson won a silver medal in boxing for the United States during the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany.-Amateur career:...
did the same in bantamweight boxing. Ted Kara also performed well, reaching the quarterfinals in featherweight boxing.
- Laurie, at 18 was the youngest member of the U.S. boxing team at Berlin.