Posted on 01/31/2009 10:48:07 AM PST by WesternCulture
America has lost a true friend, Sweden a true champion and my home city, Gothenburg, mourns a great son.
Although the quote below is fiction (as far as I know), I think this scene from a certain tv-series depicting the flower power-generation (by Peter Birro, Swedish author/playwriter) says a lot about the spirit of Ingemar Johansson and - not the least - his feelings towards America:
Anno domino 1968. Mr Johansson, sitting in a café, notices a bunch of hippie protesters shouting anti-American slogans in the street.
Johansson walks out of the café, halting the group with the question:
"- I happen to love USA, what are you gonna do about it?"
Long live freedom lovers!
The article from www.thelocal.se:
"Swedish former world heavyweight boxing champion Ingemar "Ingo" Johansson died on Friday night, aged 76-years-old.
Johansson, who became heavyweight champion of the world when he defeated Floyd Patterson to win the World Heavyweight Championship in 1959, died in his sleep at his home in Kungsbacka in western Sweden shortly before midnight.
Johansson was named Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" in 1959 and he was considered one of the greatest Swedish sportsman in history.
More than two million Swedish radio listeners tuned in "Ingo" knocked out Patersson in the third round of their fight in Yankee stadium in New York City in what was to prove to be the highlight of his career.
He enjoyed a successful career as a heavyweight retiring in 1963 with a record of 26 wins, 17 by knock out, and only 2 losses, and in 2003 was named in Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.
In recent years Ingemar Johansson had been living in a home for those suffering from senile dementia. He died in the company of his son Thomas."
I happen to do too.
There are many, despite what CNN decree.
From wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingemar_Johansson
From youtube:
http://se.youtube.com/watch?v=NsO66Oqm7pY
RIP Thor
A lot of Europeans admire USA, but Liberal media in the US seldom portray Europeans this way.
I remember the Paterson-Johansson fights.I was for Paterson,my hometown guy,but they were two class acts,both in and out of the ring.Both sadly gone mnow.
Johannsen was huge in his day. Sorry to see his later years were spent suffering the affliction of Alzheimers. RIP.
I remember that fight, too. I think I heard it on the radio, since we were very late getting a TV.
Ditto
“I remember that fight, too. I think I heard it on the radio, since we were very late getting a TV.”
- In Sweden, the match wasn’t broadcasted at all on TV.
According to my father, this was because boxing at that time was considered a dangerous and even “immoral” sport at in my country.
Well, boxing indeed DOES involve certain dangers.
So does life.
God bless and rest Ingemar Johansson, one of the great right hand punches, the “toonder and lightning” straight right, will always be remembered. R.I.P. champ!
I wonder if Johanssen was the last white undisputed world heavyweight boxing champ. I can’t recall one since.
“God bless and rest Ingemar Johansson, one of the great right hand punches, the “toonder and lightning” straight right, will always be remembered. R.I.P. champ!”
- Thanks for these words on the behalf of my nation and my hometown.
Older people here in Gothenburg/Göteborg recall the days Ingo was completely unknown outside the city limits, although widely respected down the docks where foreign sailors, in a rather brusque manner, were taught not to come here with an attitude.
Today, Gothenburg is associated with safe Volvos and the Liberal dorks that buy them all over the world (I admittedly own one too, but at least she has a decent engine and I play the stereo at whatever volume I please - actually, I offer passengers earplugs - so I’m excused).
A little bit of good old Gothenburg has left town for good, but true champions like Ingo and Patterson will never die.
Yes he was (although I think Henry Cooper was robbed). In fact I can’t think of another Caucasian that even shared the title. The prospect of seeing even a serious contender in my lifetime is remote.
I thought that the Patterson-Johansson third fight, in which the two fighters took turns knocking one-another down was one of the most exciting title fights of all time. Almost a heavyweight version of Zale-Graziano.
Ingemar Johansson was the last white heavyweight champion recognized by all boxing organizations (as well as all individual boxing experts and laymen alike).
Undisputed but by no means unchallenged.
Greetings from Sweden to The Lone Star State and The Show-Me State!
- Here in Sweden, Johansson isn't considered a myth solely because of the first encounter between him and Patterson (even if we Swedes, naturally, forever will cherish that magic evening in NYC), but also because of the sportsmanship and fighting spirit both these guys gave evidence of.
Later, Johansson and Patterson became very true friends.
Upon Patterson leaving this world in 2006, Johansson, suffering from a severe Alzheimer syndrome, was asked (by Swedish television) how he felt about this. At that time, “Ingo” might even have had problems remembering what his address was, but without hesitation he honored Patterson by calling him “a great, great guy” in a broad Gothenburg accent.
Believe me, a recognition by such simple words express quite a lot when deriving from the rough quarters in Gothenburg of the 1950s.
Sad to hear of his passing. I remember these fights very much having grown up in the 1950s. Both were gentlemen and were worthy of the title. RIP.
“I happen to do too.
There are many, despite what CNN decree.”
- Besides loving USA for all of the beauty America carries like everlasting forests, majestic mountains and the gentle promises of prosperity whispered by her boundless golden fields, non-American freedom lovers like me ought to do so out of sheer political sanity.
Regards from Gothenburg to Jakarta (two cities that both were “designed” by 17th century Dutch urban planners! - at least old Batavia was from what I understand..)
“Both were gentlemen and were worthy of the title. RIP.”
- You sound like one too, fellow freeper.
Best of regards from Sweden to Texas!
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