The bridge is named in honor of boxing legend Joe Louis, the "Brown Bomber," who was World heavyweight Champion from 1937 to 1949 and trained in West Baden. Although he trained at West Baden Springs Hotel, he was not allowed to stay there, and instead stayed at the Waddy Hotel, a hotel for African Americans built on the east side of the bridge near the railroad tracks. Artie "Smitty" Smith, a member of Louis' entourage, later bought the Waddy in 1942 and expanded it to host ball players, boxers, and other famous guests. After a fire destroyed the hotel in 1951, Smitty and his wife Dorothy built a home on the site, where Smitty lived until 1996.