There the family rented an apartment near Times Square, at 419 W. With the divorce papers finalized, in November of 1932 Robinson's mother brought her children to live with her in New York City. In Detroit, Robinson spent his free time at the Brewster Recreation Center, where he met and idolized the young Joe Louis, still an unknown at that time. She returned after one year and brought the children back to Detroit where the four of them lived on Palmer Street, pending finalization of the divorce. When his parents separated in 1927, Robinson's mother took him and his sisters to stay with their grandmother in Greenwood, Georgia, then returned to Michigan to handle the divorce. Robinson attended Balch Elementary School where during his early years he was known by all as Junior. Leila Smith, who found work as a chambermaid at Detroit's Sheraton Hotel, later supported her family by working as a seamstress. In Detroit, Robinson's father worked as a ditch-digger and moonlighted laying sewers. The Smiths had moved from Dublin, Georgia, to Detroit, Michigan, along with their two daughters, Marie and Evelyn, just weeks before Robinson's birth. on May 3, 1921, Robinson was the son of Leila (Hurst) and Walker Smith Sr. Known also for his great generosity and his concern for children, Robinson holds a special place in boxing history. He managed also a brief career as a tap dancer, and his Ray Robinson Enterprises spanned the better part of a city block in New York City on 7th Avenue, between 123rd and 124th Streets. He won Golden Gloves championships in both featherweight and welterweight classifications and retired undefeated as the world welterweight champion in 1952. Five-time middleweight champion of the world, Sugar Ray Robinson is remembered as the greatest boxer ever produced by the sport.
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