Page 34 - August/September 2007 The Game

34 The Game, August/September 2007 Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
A Message of Hope from our “Greatest”
What scares you? Let’s face it, there’s a lot that can scare the average race tracker: at Woodbine, it could be the sound of the siren indicating a loose horse right after you’ve sent one out. At most tracks it could be the announcement for any vet on the grounds to go to the track. It could be a horse lying down, groaning, (usually right after it’s been entered), or one tying up after a seem- ingly normal gallop. Sometimes it is a message or announcement to call home immediately. There are an umpteen number of reasons for us to think the unthink- able and most of us would rather avoid those situations. Probably the number one thought most parents would rather not deal with is the idea of burying their children. Burying one child would be more than enough for most of us to cope with, but how about two or three. Monday, July 23, at the second annual Chaplaincy Golf Tournament, over 110 people heard from a champion who has lost tree children to drugs and a spouse to sui- cide.
George Chuvalo was the featured speaker at this year’s tournament, held at beautiful Glen Eagle Golf Course.
To most over 40 years of age and to many now under 20, George’s name is easily recognizable, as he spends most of his time speaking to young people in schools, community clubs and the like.
Born September 12, 1937, George Louis Chuvalo, is a retired Canadian heavyweight boxer who was never knocked down in ninety-three professional fights between 1956 and 1979. He was Canadian heavyweight champion as both an amateur and a professional, and twice fought for versions of the professional world's heavyweight title. Chuvalo grew up in The Junction dis-
trict of west Toronto. While a student at Humberside Collegiate Institute, he became one of the best-known amateur boxers in Toronto, fighting out of the Earlscourt Athletic Club. Chuvalo became Canadian amateur heavyweight champion in May 1955, defeating Winnipeg's Peter Piper with a second round knockout in a tournament final in Regina, Saskatchewan.
As a pro, Chuvalo is best known for his two fights against Muhammad Ali. He went the dis- tance both times, but lost by a wide margin on the scorecards. The first fight, on March 29, 1966 would have been for Ali's world title but for box- ing politics that caused it to be staged as "a heavyweight attraction" instead. The fight was
scheduled for and indeed went fifteen rounds, with the decision going to Ali. "He's the toughest guy I ever fought," said Ali of Chuvalo after the fight. Future world champions Joe Frazier and George
Foreman, despite being big punchers, were unable to knock Chuvalo down, but they were the only fighters to stop him, scoring technical knockout (TKO) victories. Foreman—regarded as one of the hardest hitters in box- ing history—mauled Chuvalo, bombing him with punch after punch. Yet, in his typical display of toughness, when the referee stopped the fight in the third round, Chuvalo said to him, "What are you, nuts?"
George Chuvalo was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1990 and the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997. He was made a Member of the Order of Canada, (presented by Queen Elizabeth), in 1998 and was awarded a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in 2005.
George has gone toe to toe with The Greatest and the Queen, yet he would easily give all his accomplishments up to have his sons who died from drug addiction and his wife who committed suicide in the wake of those tragedies. George shared a message of hope with the filled room, saying that his new mission, to share with young people the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse, helps him cope with the loss. George emphasized that the time to reach kids is when they’re young, before puber- ty, and to allow them to be themselves and not retreat into the lies of addiction. Interestingly, Chuvalo hammered home a message by a friend of mine: love. His voice and passion reaching the level of a revival tent preacher, George told us to love our kids, spouses, parents, friends and the unlovable. In the same way that Jesus com- manded us to “love one another”, George Chuvalo told
us to go and do likewise. Did his message resonate with those in atten- dance? Two stand- ing ovations would say, “”yes”. Thank you George.
Get Tied On
with Chaplain Shawn
George chatting with fans after dinner
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