Sport: On the Ropes

One night five months ago, after knocking out Jersey Joe Wolcott, Joe Louis mumbled into a mike through swollen lips, "For my mother—this is for her—tonight was my last fight." Since then, Joe had been thinking it over. He still kept on needing money, and voices kept reminding him that all he had to do was say the word and collect $500,000 or so. Last week, Joe said the word. He would defend his heavyweight title, for the 26th time, next June, probably against the least bad of three unpromising contenders—Lee Savold, Ezzard Charles...