Big George Foreman

He Knew How To Forgive Trespasses

I have a friend who says, about people who are mean, unkind, or full of complaints, “That is not a good way to be in the world.”

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When I was a kid in the public schools in Waban, MA, we would say the Lord’s Prayer every morning. It all stuck with me, but here are the words that have resonated of late: “And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

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I met Muhammed Ali, my childhood hero, once. They say that you should never meet your heroes, but wow.

It was in Hyde Park, in Chicago. Ali, who had retired long before, was staying at a hotel, and there he was, in the lobby. There was a small line of people hoping to meet him.

With fear and trembling, I got in that line, and when I was lucky enough to get to say hello, I told him a story that was meaningful to me. When I was a little kid, I was so excited about Ali’s first fight with Sonny Liston that I made my Dad promise - promise! - to wake me up to tell me who had won.

My Dad broke his promise. I found out only in the morning. But I was so excited, and so happy, that I didn’t even bother to get mad at my Dad. (Still, I remembered, and remember, that he broke his promise.)

I told Ali that story at great length. It must have been the most boring story Ali had ever heard. But he seemed absolutely rapt. He would exclaim, “Really?” when I came to yet another thrilling moment in the plot. He said, “Your Dad didn’t wake you up!” - as if that was the highest drama. Ali acted as if he was riveted.

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George Foreman and Ali fought in 1974. Foreman was the huge favorite. He was young, with devastating power. He had destroyed the great Joe Frazier. Ali was no longer in his prime. Foreman was supposed to knock Ali out in the first or second round. I was focused on the fight for weeks. When it finally came, I was terrified. As I recall, there were round-by-round reports somewhere - maybe on the radio?

Ali won. It’s called the Rumble in the Jungle. It seemed like a miracle.

***

Ali made fun of his opponents. He was really funny, but he could also be savage, even cruel. He called Foreman “the Mummy.”

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Sometimes Ali spoke in racial terms, as if he was the real representative of black people, and as if some of his opponents were Uncle Toms (as he called Joe Frazier). Before the fight with Foreman, Ali said this, “I’m gonna fight for the prestige, not for me but to uplift my little brothers who are sleeping on concrete floors today in America. Black people living on welfare, who can’t eat…I want to win my title and walk down the alleys with the wine-heads, walk with the dope addicts, the prostitutes.”

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Ali spoke pretty brutally about Foreman, before the fight, and then Ali beat him. It was a crushing defeat. But Foreman came to love Ali. He forgave Ali’s trespasses.

That seemed easy for him. He spoke about his horrific loss with humor, wit, and grace. About Ali: “He was the greatest man I ever met. To say that he was the greatest boxer is a put-down.” About his eventual return to boxing: “You end up with ten kids, you gotta box.”

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For decades, Foreman was the soul of generosity, humility, humor, and above all grace. After his phenomenal, brutal victory over Ron Lyle, some of his first words were a tribute to his opponent. “There’s no doubt that Ron Lyle is tremendous fighter.” He followed that by suggesting that Lyle should fight for the title. Foreman embodied grace.

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The golden age of heavyweight boxing featured Ali, Frazier, and Foreman. (You could include Ken Norton too, and possibly Liston, who came a bit before, and possibly Larry Holmes, who came a bit later. Props to Lyle, Jimmy Young, and Earnie Shavers. A salute too to Jerry Quarry and Jimmy Ellis.) Holmes is the only one who is still with us.

Of the icons, Ali was of course the Greatest. Frazier was the bravest and the toughest. Foreman was the strongest. He was also the warmest, the wisest, and the most gracious.

His death hits like a sledgehammer. He knew how to be in the world.