Met a Boxing Icon Today...

[First Sgt]

After church today, the wife, myself, and granddaughter (17 months old) headed to Ruby Tuesday for Sunday lunch. As we were being taken to our table, we passed by a table occupied by about 8 folks. I casually glanced at the gentleman sitting at the end of the doubled tables as I walked past. Darn if he didn't look familiar. Ya know how things can eat at you. So after being seated, I glanced several times at his "back". The wife asked me if something was wrong, and I told her that the guy looked like someone I had seen before, but couldn't place him. Then IT CAME TO ME...the fella looked just like Sugar Ray Leonard. He did grow up in this area and has quite a few relatives, but just didn't think it was him. The wife got up and went to the salad bar, and as she came back to the table, she stopped, said "Excuse me, but are you Sugar Ray Leonard". The guy had turned and smiled at her when she asked, and as soon as I saw his smile, he nodded his head yes. To make a long story longer, he talked with her for a few minutes, and she explained that it was her husband that wondered and pointed me out sitting behind him. He turned around, got up, and as he got up, so did I, held out his hand and shook mine. We had a very personable conversation with him for several minutes. I thanked him for his contributions to boxing and for the memories of his MANY memorable fights with folks like Duran, Haigler, Hearnes, etc. He had flown in from Los Angeles to be with his folks for the Thanksgiving Holidays. He allowed us to take a pic of him, granddaughter, and wife. I apologized for interrupting/bothering him and he just smiled and said it was his pleasure to be interrupted. All in all what a nice meeting...Just thought I'd share.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[INccwchris]

thats awesome!!

[retsupt99]

Thanks for sharing, can you post a pic? It would be cool to see.

[Devilsclaw]

He always appeared to be a class act, glad to know that is how he really was to you.

[HotGuns]

Cool.

[CT-Mike]

That is very cool, many celebrities are too self-centered to be bothered by us common folk.

[SIXTO]

Sounds like he is a good man.

I must admit though, I think I would get annoyed if I were famous and getting interupted all the time.

[chiefjason]

That is very cool, many celebrities are too self-centered to be bothered by us common folk.

I've met a few that were not. It's always refreshing. We would run into some NASCAR, NBA, and NFL guys delivering furniture to them. Some of the "normal people" were much worse than the famous ones.

Great story.

[dukalmighty]

Class act,some people let fame and fortune go to their heads

[Luis50]

Ray Leonard is one of my all time favorite fighters. Foot, hand speed and excellent technique were his best assets. He was also very smart in the ring. I don't remember the fight but, at one point he was badly shaken by a few shots and instead of letting his opponent continue his attack, Ray went down to one knee. The few seconds it took the ref to sent his opponent to the neutral corner and the standing 8 second count gave him enough time to recover and continue. Very smart. Thanks for sharing.

[First Sgt]

Okay..here's my first try at posting a pic...Sugar Ray Leonard...Ava (my granddaughter)...Mickie, my wife...Wish me luck on this...Also, I think I was the only person to recognize Ray...Guess gray hair does have it's advantage when it comes to classics...Otherwise, the only person besides me that interrupted him was the waitress!

rsz_avarayleonard1.jpg

[PAcanis]

That's pretty cool.

[Ksthumper]

I have met Muhammad Ali twice.

First time was walking through STL airport with his handlers nearly 30 years ago and second time was 15 years ago on Fisherman's Wharf in SFO with his daughter.

Very friendly and personable both times giving autographs and stopping for photos with anyone. However; his situational awareness, shaky movement and speech does reflect on how many head punches he has taken. Honestly, rather sad.

[WHEC724]

I bumped into George Foreman (more like stared up in awe) in an airport. Cameras do not do justice to how big that guy is.

[AZ Husker]

Well I met PeeWee Herman in a theater once....