Max Schmeling (28-9-1905 To 4-2-2005) Poem by Francis Duggan

He fell eight months short of celebrating his one hundredth birthday Max Schmeling the German boxing great
It was his dream to celebrate a century of living but the reaper for the old champ refused to wait
More than a boxing champion he was a true humanitarian and as the great man himself had been known to say
I'd rather be remembered as a decent human being than as a World Champion any day.

His two fights with the legendary Joe Louis will never be forgotten in the pre World war 2 years with National pride at stake
The German and the American heavyweights were fighting for far more than their own honour sake
They were the pawns in a deadly chess game that in a few years led to World war 2
But these two men remained good friends thereafter and to the higher human values remained true.

He almost made it to his one hundredth birthday but Max Schmeling was counted out at ninety nine
One of the longest lived of boxing's glorious era he battled on right to life's finish line
A champion boxer and and a champion humanitarian the great one surely had a heart of gold
He lived through two World wars knew good and bad times and the story of his life is often told.

Max Schmeling he now rests in peace forever he was a huge success in every way
In the twenties and thirties in boxing's glorious era he made his fortune fighting for his pay
He won the title from and lost it to Jack Sharkey and in his prime he only fought the best
And as in boxing in life he was not found wanting a man who proved himself in every test.