To the Editor:
The sad news of the passing of the legend Muhammad Ali brought back a childhood memory. Back in 1973, I was a 12-year-old kid from New Jersey on my way to a youth football “bowl game” against a team from Atlanta.
I was a big Joe Frazier fan who respected his quiet toughness and disliked Ali’s outspoken ways, considering him a loudmouth and a braggart. As our team reached the Atlanta airport I saw a huge crowd gathering and ran over to see what was going on. It was Ali and his entourage surrounded by autograph seekers.
But this wasn’t the Ali I saw on TV. Here was this huge, gentle, smiling man taking the time to sign all the kids’ autographs, including mine. As he signed mine, he smiled, winked and said, “Don’t you feel sorry for me having to sign all these?”
I came to realize that here was a special man — much kinder and greater in spirit than I realized. That simple moment changed my mind about him — and changed me so I was more open-minded, reflective and considerate about people I didn’t truly know.
GREGG GEIDER
No comments:
Post a Comment