Toledo Union Journal

Fightingest' Couple In Toledo Celebrate 33 Years Of Marriage
By CAL KRAWLSKI

Probably the most "fightingest" couple in Toledo celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary Tuesday. Joseph Lohman, a former professional prize fighter and his wife, Mary, who has missed very few of Joe's fights, are happier now than at any time in their married life, they said.

Joe told the Journal that when he got married 33 years ago, that he was working for the Ohio Brick Co. and traveling around the country fighting.

Mr. Lohman also boast, besides being half of the fightingest pair in Toledo, of having been the only man in Toledo that has been knocked down by Jack Dempsey.

Joe fought Jack in 1922 in a four round exhibition and that's when his claim to fame happened. Joe has also fought such other famed boxers as Mickey Walker, Gene Tunney, Harry Greb, and Tiger Flowers.

The Lohmans claim the title of the most fightingest pair, not only because of Joe's ring activities, but because of Mrs. Lohman ring-side activities.

One instance happened in Grand Rapids, Mich., when Joe had a battle lined up with Floyd Johnson. Joe told Mrs. Lohman to stay home that night because he expected the match to be a "bloody" affair.

However, Mrs. Lohman didn't stay home, she went to the fight and when Joe was knocked down in the first round she yelled to Joe to kill Johnson.

Joe half dazed heard her yell. got up, and won the decision.

The fight had another importance to the Lohmans. it took them out of a two-room Michigan St. apartment and enabled them to make a down payment on a house.

The Michigan Boxing Commission after this episode then barred Mrs. Lohman from any of Joe's fights.

A short time later the Toledo fighter was slated for a Long Island battle, but news about the barring of Mrs. Lohman in Michigan had traveled ahead of her and she wasn't permitted to see the New York fight, either.

This wasn't going to stop the attractive mother of two sons, she borrowed some different cloths and crashed the gate. She saw the fight between Joe and Jack Renault, too.

Mrs. Lohman also has another claim to fame, beside being a member of the fightingest pair in Toledo, she is an above average bowler. She carried a 161 average and at one time defeated the well known woman kegler, Mrs. Emma Yeager, by one pin, 226 to 225.

Her son, Joe, Jr., if following in his mother's footsteps and is one of Toledo's better bowlers.

Both Joe and the Lohman's other son, Norman, work at Unitcast. where they are pattern makers.

Joe is an executive board member of the Toledo Industrial Union Council and at one time was a member of the Spicer Unit Committee, where he is still employed. He has been on the Spicer payroll for 20 years.

Mrs. Lohman. a grandmother five times. also worked at Spicer at one time.

The Lohmans, real Union people, told the Journal that they were married in St. Agnes Parish and spent their honeymoon with relatives in Cincinnati 33 years ago.

They now live at 4013 Caroline St., in West Toledo.