NY sports history: Jan. 9, 1969

THIS DAY IN NY SPORTS HISTORY

Friday, Jan. 9, 1942

Louis wins at Garden, enlists next day

Joe Louis retained his heavyweight title with a late-first round knockout of Buddy Baer at Madison Square Garden. Louis flattened Baer, the brother of former champion Max, 2:56 into the first round before a Garden crowd of 16,689. Louis donated his net purse of more than $47,000 to the Navy Relief Society, according to numerous accounts. The next day, Louis enlisted in the army. On Jan. 11, Louis took a physical at Governors Island, and reported for duty the following day at Camp Upton on Long Island, almost five weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.