“I saw some films of him,” said Oliver Miller, standing on the sidewalk in front of the Tennessee Williams Welcome Center on Wednesday afternoon. “He was on time. He knew how to fight.”
Miller, along with about 20 other onlookers, was on hand to watch the unveiling of a long-in-the-making tribute to name four blocks of Third Street after boxing legend Henry Armstrong.
“He is an unsung hero of America, I think,” said Mayor Keith Gaskin. “Back in 2019 Mayor Robert Smith signed a resolution to name Third Street, starting here at Main, down all the way to Seventh Avenue North in his honor.”
The first sign marking Henry Armstrong Way was unveiled Wednesday in a brief ceremony. Armstrong’s family and members of the foundation that bears his name watched via Facebook Live.
Although the city announced its intent for the designation three years ago, life sort of got in the way, said Henry Armstrong Celebration Committee co-chair Glenn Lautzenhiser.
“Well, there was something called COVID-19,” he joked. “It was that plus some other factors. It just took some coordination, and some things just kind of slipped through the cracks.”
The effort resumed, and the city worked with Lautzenhiser and Miller and other members of the committee to follow through on that resolution.
There’s no doubt Armstrong, born in Columbus in 1912, deserves it. He is the only boxer in history to hold three simultaneous world titles in three different weight divisions: featherweight, lightweight and welterweight. He was named boxer of the year in 1937 and 1938, and featured in three movies.
He won 152 out of 181 fights, and 100 of those wins were by knockout. The New York Times reckoned Armstrong to be “pound for pound … the greatest boxer who ever lived.”
Armstrong was more than an unusually skilled fighter, though, Lautzenhiser said.
“He did so much in the world of boxing, but after he quit the boxing world he became a preacher and told people about the Lord,” Lautzenhiser said. “He just did so much good work.”
Armstrong retired from boxing in 1946. As a minister, he spent most of his retirement working with at-risk youth.
Gaskin said he thought Armstrong’s story was an inspiration, especially to young people.
“He can inspire young people by showing that no matter where you start, it’s unlimited as to where you can go,” Gaskin said. “He also showed that if you become famous you can give back and help others. He should be known for his philanthropy, and for his faith.”
Armstrong’s family issued a statement about the street designation, which Gaskin read.
“We would like to thank God for the victory, as well as Mayor Gaskin, the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau and the entire city for paying homage to a hometown hero, trailblazer and boxing legend,” he read. “We look forward to working together to continue his legacy of serving, caring and loving others and encouraging young minds to partner with God.”
At one time the city had plans to put up a statue in Armstrong’s honor. Gaskin said those plans are still alive.
“It’s going to take some fundraising,” he said. “We are working with his family in Los Angeles, and they are working on some renderings of what the statue might look like.”
It may eventually be erected near the Tennessee Williams home, he said.
“We’re soon going to have a statue of Tennessee Williams near the (Williams) birthplace, and (CVB CEO Nancy Carpenter) has some ideas of maybe establishing a garden and having (Armstrong’s) statue there, as well,” Gaskin said.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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