RIP Joe Frazier

[qanda]

WPVI in Philadelphia reports: Former heavyweight champion Joe Frazier has lost his battle with liver cancer.

Late Monday night, the family issued this statement:

"We The Family of the 1964 Olympic Boxing Heavyweight Gold Medalist, Former Heavyweight Boxing Champion and International Boxing Hall of Fame Member Smokin' Joe Frazier, regrets to inform you of his passing. He transitioned from this life as "One of God's Men," on the eve of November 7, 2011at his home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We thank you for your prayers for our Father and vast outpouring of love and support.

(more)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/chi-exheavyweight-champ-joe-frazier-has-died-20111107,0,5708227.story

____________________


Former world heavyweight champion, boxing Hall of Famer, and all-time great legend "Smokin'" Joe Frazier passed away tonight after a battle with liver cancer. He was 67 years old. Family sources passed the news on this evening.

Frazier was born in South Carolina in 1944. His father, he said in an interview with EA Sports (a highly recommended watch) earlier this year, was a bootlegger, and had some trouble with the law.

(more)

http://www.badlefthook.com/2011/11/7/2546085/joe-frazier-dead-passes-away-age-67

[Kadie]

1. link...

Ex-heavyweight champ Joe Frazier has died

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/chi-exheavyweight-champ-joe-frazier-has-died-20111107,0,5708227.story

[qanda]

4. Thanks, I will edit to include this.

[cherokeeprogressive]

2. RIP Joe. Thanks for the memories.

[rhett o rick]

11. .

[Botany]

3. Down goes Frazier

RIP smoking Joe

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Rip indeed.

[wisteria]

6. Sad news, RIP "Smokin" Joe. n/t

[Laluchacontinua]

13. It's weird, I have no memory of him being called "smoking joe" in his heyday,

but all the obits are using that.

My memory is "jolting joe," backed up by this 1968 article in TIME:

Philadelphia's Joe Frazier, 24, will never float like a butterfly or sting like a bee. He does not even ... Though he is no Muhammad Ali, Joltin' Joe is still the...

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&source=hp&q=jolting+joe+frazier&pbx=1&oq=jolting+joe+frazier&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=64337l65113l3l65726l7l6l0l0l0l4l215l916l0.5.1l6l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=522ee90beda8a9de&biw=991&bih=585

and this 1968 article in the toledo blade:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19680622&id=UmcxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mwEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5620,6465479

and this 1995 book:

African-American sports greats: a biographical dictionary - Page 99

books.google.comDavid L. Porter - 1995 - 429 pages - Google eBook - Preview
James A. Riley JOE FRAZIER (January 12, 1944- ) Boxing Joe Frazier, nicknamed "Joltin' Joe," held the heavyweight boxing title. Joe was born in Beaufort, South Carolina, one of 13 children of Rubin Frazier, a farmer, and Dolly Frazier. ...



this post isn't directed at you particularly, just wondering when he became "smoking joe"? The only references i find using that name are after 1995, and mostly in the 2000s.

[MADem]

14. I remember Joltin' Joe Dimaggio....aka The Yankee Clipper!

And I'm not a NY fan...!

[H2O Man]

15. As a young contender.

His trainer, Yank Durham, gave him the nickname.

[cherokeeprogressive]

7. Does anyone remember his Skin Bracer commercial? "Thanks, I needed that"?

He's standing in front of the bathroom mirror, slaps some Skin Bracer on his face, and knocks himself down. The last thing you see is his hand on the sink... "Thanks. I needed that".

Here he is on a kids show called Wonderama I used to watch in the 70's, playing marbles with Ali before one of their fights. They almost get in a fight on the show. I saw this episode!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLMLpGPLbK0

[burrowowl]

8. RIP

It was an era,

[spanone]

9. just heard that...smokin' joe...rip

[MannyGoldstein]

10. Godspeed Smokin' Joe nt

[malaise]

12. Down for the lasr count

I'm an Ali fan, but R.I.P. smokin' Joe

[tabasco]

16. I thought he was a good guy and he was fun to watch on TV

Such a rotten disease. Will we ever find a cure?

[rury]

17. Godspeed to heaven Joe!!