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January 04, 2006
almost famous - part I
Awhile back, Vampy did a post about the brushes with fame she has had over her lifetime. I have had the strange luck of meeting some very interesting people and some in interesting ways, so I thought I should just go ahead and steal Vampy’s idea.
First famous encounter:
Ripon Wisconsin, late 1970’s
Eric Heiden
Eric was in town to participate in a bike race. He was kind enough to stop talk and give autographs to a group of us very young, giggly, squealy girls who thought he was too fine. And dear lord did he have the biggest thighs I have ever seen.
Next and most favorite encounter:
New York City, The Plaza Hotel, 1980
Muhammad Ali
We were in the city with my dad, while he was on business. We had been out wandering the city a little after dinner but we stepped into the lobby of our hotel so we could watch a large group of people that had been coming up behind us pass by. My dad said it had to be someone famous because it was a large group and there were camera flashes and body guards and the like. We waited just inside the door to see if we could get a glimpse of “famous” go by and instead the group turned and came right into the lobby too. The crowd parted and there he stood large as life. I was only 9 and my jaw most likely hit the floor. The funny thing is that he came right up to me and said, “I bet you don’t know who I am.” Thanks to my dad and his love of sports, I sure surprised him! I said, proud as could be, “You’re Cassius Clay and we were both born in Louisville, Kentucky.” I think he liked my moxie or something because he chatted with me and my family and he took our pictures (which he kept) and he gave me his autograph (which sadly I have lost in one of my many moves). Being so young I don’t remember it all very clearly but I do remember the way he made me feel, which was wonderful. He was so much more than I ever expected. I have always had a special place in my heart for him after that.
Several moves later we ended up living in Michigan, a town over from Berrien Springs, where Mr. Ali lives. I would see his limo all over town and sometimes in college I think I even saw it driving around Kalamazoo. I did talk to his driver a couple of times at the gas station and I always hoped I would run into Mr. Ali again to tell him how much our family enjoyed meeting him. I wonder if he still has that picture that he took of us together.
Most unusual introduction:
New York Yankees
The Hotel Inter-Continental, Chicago, very early 80’s
Yogi Berra
We were in Chicago for the weekend because my mother needed to get the hell out of Wisconsin, which is totally understandable. My dad and I went down the hall to get ice and snacks out of the vending machine. My dad was standing off to the side letting me gather the stuff on my own, like a big girl. I was having trouble with the ice machine when an older gentleman stepped into the room to get ice too. He saw I was having an issue with the machine and he said, “Let me help you with that.” He helped, my bucket filled, I said thank you and turned to leave. My dad turned to the man, smiled and said “thanks Yogi”, and we went back to our room. Of course I really had no idea who Yogi Berra was so I hammered my dad with questions on the way back– who was that guy, how do you know him, shouldn’t we go back and get his autograph or something???? My dad said it was better to just let him have his privacy.
Well, my dad was right because the next morning at the check out counter we saw him again and he stopped to chat and introduce us to some of the team. We met:
and best of all
We got all their autographs which my mother has made worthless by writing what she deems as the necessary information all over them like she does with all pictures and things of this nature that she gets her mitts on. Totally ruined. I can’t tell you how many pictures I have of my family that have something like a big X to mark the person of interest with their name written next to it. then on the back she has written thir life story. It's nice that she wants us to have the info but write it in a book woman!! Drives me crazy. But I digress.
To be Continued...
Posted by bugg at January 4, 2006 03:16 PM
Comments
I've only heard of Ali. I don't know much about sports :-( but those pics of little bear from christmas are darling!!!
Posted by: ms bees knees at January 6, 2006 05:57 PM
BW810 - I have a bunch more if I can find some time to write them down.
Bees - I only know what my dad told me and back then I liked sports more than do now, for sure. Thanks, I think so too. I want to eat him up!
Posted by: bugg at January 9, 2006 03:07 PM
Ok, so I'll chime in. You have to go back a little further in time but...
Yoko Ono's first husband and children. Brad and I lived communally before we were married with a group that worked with street kids. Ono's x and his new wife and kids were trying to hide from Ono and John Lennon. Lennon and Ono had threatened to take the kids. So they came to live with us for a while. The bad part of all this is that we weren't allowed to tell anyone at the time. Can you imagine being 19 in the early 70's and not being able to tell who you had under your roof?
Barry McGuire... forgive me Barry, but an old hippy, folk rock star. Not only did he live with us but I worked to have maybe 20 outstanding traffic convictions removed from his record so he could once again have a driver's license.
The Doors..now I didn't know them personally but believe it or not they came to my high school in 1969 and did a lunch time concert. Honest! First guy I ever saw in leather pants.
That's it.
Posted by: justme at January 10, 2006 03:04 PM
justme - those are some pretty cool and odd meet ups! i'm still working on the second half of my list.
Posted by: bugg at January 11, 2006 02:36 PM