achingknees Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 The Story of Manute Bol Manute Bol lopes across the lawn toward his house, covering the distance in a few, giant strides. At 42, Bol's joints ache from rheumatism, but he still carries his 7-foot-7-inch frame erect and proud. His face is a little fuller than it was during his years in the National Basketball Association, when his celebrity and singular ability to block shots earned him millions. The money is gone now. His house is sparsely furnished; the furniture, slightly ragged. The rent is paid by Catholic Charities, a group that helps political refugees. That's what Bol is now. He moved to West Hartford with his wife, son and half-sister a few months ago, having finally made the painful decision to leave behind the Sudanese homeland that he loved but could not find a place in anymore. He made a daring escape, complicated by the Sept. 11 attacks. Bol never forgot Sudan during the years of wealth and fame. He couldn't, he says. That cost him nearly everything. 'God gave this to me' Southern Sudan is the home of the Dinkas, the tallest people in the world and Bol's tribe. With a flat-footed reach of 10 feet, 6 inches, Bol is so tall that the average man comes up to his rib cage. His inseam measures nearly 5 feet, and he wears size-16-1/2 sneakers. He can drive a car only if its front seat is removed. The first time he tried to dunk a basketball, he smashed his face on the rim and lost two teeth. Bol was the tallest man to ever play in the NBA, until Gheorghe Muresan, a Romanian with a pituitary gland condition, beat him out by a few millimeters. "God gave this to me," Bol says. His grandfather, Bol Chol, reputed to be 7 feet, 10 inches, was a powerful chieftain and had 40 wives. Bol's father, Madut Bol, was only 6-foot-8, but had seven wives and a large cattle herd — a sign of great wealth. His second wife, Okwok, was 6-foot-10. After having stillborn twins twice, she gave birth to Manute, whose name means "blessing from God." Unlike his city-dwelling cousins, Bol never went to school; instead, he herded goats and cattle. When he came of age, he went through the manhood rituals: his front bottom-row teeth were pried out, and deep incisions were made around his head with a knife. When he was 15, at the suggestion of relatives, he gave basketball a try. Bol walked three days from his village to join his first team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 The Story of Manute Bol Bol was the tallest man to ever play in the NBA, until Gheorghe Muresan, a Romanian with a pituitary gland condition, beat him out by a few millimeters. 820436[/snapback] Speaking of big Gheorge, he is the "human tuna tower" for some local fishing guides now. Actually, good piece if your into fishing the Cheasapeake. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...6102800608.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achingknees Posted October 30, 2006 Author Share Posted October 30, 2006 Speaking of big Gheorge, he is the "human tuna tower" for some local fishing guides now. Actually, good piece if your into fishing the Cheasapeake. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...6102800608.html 820453[/snapback] Thank you , most interesting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 I met Manute Bol in the Mohegan Sun Comp Lounge last year. I said- Hey Manute Bol- how are you? What are you up to these days? He said absolutely nothing. I guess he is up there quite a bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoondckCL Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 I wonder if i could still win that cruise with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Fong Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 So he's broke now? What the hell do these guys DO with this money? You'd think a goat herder could figure out a way to hold on to some of it instead of spending it all on rims and cell phones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. Rich Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 So he's broke now? What the hell do these guys DO with this money? You'd think a goat herder could figure out a way to hold on to some of it instead of spending it all on rims and cell phones. 822161[/snapback] Just about all of his money went back to his homeland to help the Sudanese. How irresponsible of him to give back to his own people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 Just about all of his money went back to his homeland to help the Sudanese. How irresponsible of him to give back to his own people. 822183[/snapback] Didn't they screw him over too and thats why he has nothing left to live off of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Fong Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Just about all of his money went back to his homeland to help the Sudanese. How irresponsible of him to give back to his own people. 822183[/snapback] Where do you get this from? If I'm the A hole fine, but there's no mention of that in the article. Besides I am 100% for charity, but not to the point where you yourself must rely on charity down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achingknees Posted November 2, 2006 Author Share Posted November 2, 2006 Where do you get this from? If I'm the A hole fine, but there's no mention of that in the article. Besides I am 100% for charity, but not to the point where you yourself must rely on charity down the road. 822542[/snapback] Bol visited his native country regularly — nearly every summer during his NBA career. On one of his early trips, he met and married his first wife, Atong, then 18, a southern Sudanese refugee. Starting in 1991, Bol began making visits to southern Sudanese refugee camps. Many of Bol's relatives were leaders in the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA), the rebel movement. He became an important backer of the rebels, contributing an estimated $3.5 million. Bol and his cousin Ed Bona, a former college basketball player at Fordham, met with dozens of members of Congress, warning of Muslim extremists and begging for U.S. intervention. They picketed the Sudanese embassy. President Clinton had ordered the cruise-missile strike on a Sudanese pharmaceutical plant suspected of aiding the manufacture of chemical weapons. It was retaliation for the bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, linked by U.S. officials to Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida network. The attack was a turning point for Bol. The government accused him of being a spy, he says. He tried to leave in 1999, but the government stopped him. His money dwindled as he supported himself and 20 relatives. On his second attempt in 2001, Bol marched to the immigration office and demanded an exit visa. An officer told him to come back with a bribe - there is more. Bol is very much committed to his country, Last setence of article: Although relieved to be out of Sudan, he dreams of returning home. His ideal retirement would be split between the countries he's called home. "I want my country to be like this some day," he says. "This is my dream." -He did the handing out, he is not looking for one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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