Here's an old tv spot with Ezzard about ALS. Never seen it till just now, sad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7HFjTGyFFo
Amazing video. Sadly, Scott LeDoux also died of this horrible disease. To this day there is no cure or treatment.
Commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease. While it is rare overall striking about 1 in a hundred thousand it has become prevelant in contact sports and studies link it to concussions. Gehrig suffered at least 4 playing in the era before a helmut when he came to bat as well as playing football in college. Many Nfl players have been diagnosed with it after retirement. Horrible tragic disease. Spinal chord thins and cuts off the neural recepters and you basically lose all motor function but your mind remains intact. Some people that suffer concussions are prone to it while others are not affected.
I saw the commercial, I believe, in the early 70's and almost cried as Ezz was always one of my top 5 favorites. As a Patterson nut-hugger, most on board here know me as one who likes the 'nice guys' and Ezz certainly fit that bill. Nowadays, in all sports, the humble, great athlete is all but gone sadly. When I see the few out there that respect the tradition, the opportunity given them to make huge $$ as a grown man playing a game or sport, it gives me hope that more will come around like them. But, sadly, I'm not holding my breath.
Agreed being from Cincinnati I naturally have a fondness for Ezzard and he is my all time favorite, for many reasons I might add. Seeing someone who's ability I so highly appreciate and admire reduced to a wheelchair unable to moe gets to me. Regardless if the commercial is 40 years old.
Greetings Meazy! When I was transferred from Indy to Cincy in the early 80's for seven years and was house-hunting, I saw the 'Ezzard Charles Blvd.' exit and it brought a big smile to my face. :happy
Ya ive never seen footage of him like that. Kinda gets to you when you see a warrior reduced to this by a horrible disease!
Yeah, I went years wondering who it was when I was a child. And everyone I asked had no idea, sadly it seems as if many still don't know and of the ones that do most don't know how great he was.
