NBA fans might remember Manute Bol, the Sudanese giant who played for the Philadelphia 76ers and several other teams. He was fairly one-dimensional as a player . . . not a scorer, not a great rebounder but he was one of the greatest shot blockers of NBA history. Manute came from a very troubled part of the world, southern Sudan. He was a Dinka by tribal affiliation but was known for returning to his homeland to help it heal from the wounds of a long-civil war. Sudan's post-colonial history, more than 50 years, has primarily been a violent one . . . constant war, displacement of massive groups of people, killings, bombings and desperate struggles for survival. Bol came to the U.S. and became a celebrity for his tall, stick-skinny presence . . . he was almost a freak show for American fans . . . I don't say that in any negative way towards Manute but rather for the fans. Despite his celebrity status and opportunity for a comfortable life, he never forgot his people. He apparently sent much of the money he earned to his war-torn country. He frequently visited Sudanese refugee camps.
Bol was offered a government post but refused because it would require him to abandon his Christian faith and convert to Islam. He was later refused exit visas from Sudan because he was accused of political involvement supporting the SPLA (Sudanese People's Liberation Army). Joe Liberman, then Senator, intervened and Bol and his family were granted exit to Egypt and after 6 months of negotation with the U.S. government was able to return with his family.
I write of Bol because at age 47 Bol died today . . . he died from severe kidney problems and complications related to Stephen-Johnson syndrome. The Stephen Johnson syndrome is a life-threatening disease affecting the skin such that cell death causes the epidermis to separate from the dermis.
He is survived by 10 children from 2 wives. He gave away most of his fortune for the cause of his country.
May others pick up his mantel.
I love basketball, and watched a lot of the pro games when I was in high school and college (I watch college ball mostly now). I remember when Manute first came to the NBA, he was, for lack of a better word, a spectacle, much the way Yao Ming was a few years after that and the way Wilt and Kareem were before that. The plight of the big man.
The NBA has had many players who knew how to use their bodies to get their point across... Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, etc. ... but none were more notorious than Bill Laimbeer of the Detroit Pistons. He was by far the bully of the league which was a shame because the only thing that exceeded his point scoring and rebounding were his fouls and cheap shots. My first glimpse of Manute Bol was a game against the Pistons where he proceeded to pound Laimbeer into the ground like a railroad spike after receiving a particularly cheap shot that the refs did not see. A very tall and bulky guy, Laimbeer had finally gotten on the wrong side of somebody bigger and learned a valuable lesson about the effect of gravity on two very large arms coming down from above you. Laimbeer played a clean game the rest of the game and did not get in Manute's face ever again.
On top of his heart for people far exceeding his height and his numerous humanitarian causes, he also knew how to deal with bullies. Because of his humanitarian causes, he will join the likes of Roberto Clemente for his aid to Nicaragua and Yao Ming for his helping China after their recent earthquake. Bol went a step further in his efforts to raise money for Sudanese refugees going so far as to accept celebrity appearances that were degrading (boxing William "The Refrigerator" Perry... and winning) or silly (suiting up as a jockey for a horse race or playing one game as a minor-league hockey player even though he couldn't ice skate) just so the publicity he could generate for the event would raise money for his charitable foundation. In an era of sports figures behaving badly, it's good to know that Manute will be remembered for far more than blocking shots.
Post new comment