quote:

Joe Louis' boxing gloves, worn in his first historic fight with German Max Schmeling in 1936, were donated to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History by a family that has owned the gloves for 70 years.

Ken Milburn of Windsor, Ontario, donated the gloves and accompanying photographs to the museum. He had received the items from his aunt and uncle, who was a business partner of Louis' lifelong manager, John Roxborough.

The gloves join items already in the Smithsonian's collection related to the June 1938 rematch between Louis and Schmeling, including the towel thrown in to end the fight after only two minutes. Louis was declared the decisive victor in that comeback fight, two years after he was knocked out by Schmeling, the Nazis' star athlete, in the 12th round of the 1936 fight.

That second meeting of rivals Louis and Schmeling is often considered one of the greatest sporting events of the 20th century. Louis, who was born in Alabama and grew up in Detroit, held the world heavyweight boxing title from 1937 to 1948.

Museum officials said the gloves symbolize the rapid changes in society leading up to World War II.

The gloves and photographs will be displayed this summer in the "Treasures of American History" exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum. The American history museum closed last September for nearly two years of renovations.

"Despite the museum being closed for renovation, the active collection of artifacts is ongoing," said Brent D. Glass, director of the museum. "These gloves represent a very special chapter in American sports and social history."