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Signature of Heavyweight Champion Ezzard Charles on a 1953 Newspaper Photo.
Lot 163. Signature of Heavyweight Champion Ezzard Charles on a 1953 Newspaper Photo. Underrated among the heavyweights, Charles was 38 years old before the boxing gods gave him a shot at the title even though he had dispatched quality opponents such as Joey Maxim, Charley Burley and Archie Moore. He beat Jersey Joe Walcott for the vacant NBA championship in 1949, won the vacant world championship by defeating an aging Joe Louis, and then lost the world title to Walcott in 1951. Prior to 1948, Charles was an aggressive boxer with a hard punch. In 1948, however, an opponent died several days after Charles had knocked him out, and after that, he seemed to loose his desire to knock out opponents. Charles’ signature in ballpoint is on a picture that accompanies a story about his upcoming fight with Coley Wallace in San Francisco late in 1953. This beautiful example of his signature is a 10. Charles knocked Wallace out in the 10th. In 1954, he unsuccessfully challenged Rocky Marciano twice for the world title. He retired in 1959. Charles died in 1975. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $75.
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