Orbit of obit

By James Blears

The Coronavirus Pandemic is killing thousands of us, before our allotted three score and ten…or more?

The World Boxing Council, which is a global family spanning one hundred and sixty six countries, is no exception. All too often, there`s a report of friend who`s died from Covid 19.  Once, a star was born, but the sun always sets!

Boxing is a sport of the people and for the people.  Those who excel at it and in it, often come from humble backgrounds and modest cribs, rather than swanky pads, meaning that they don`t have two farthings to rub together at the start.  This penury is actually best described by the great Oscar winning actor Spencer Tracy, who recalled: “There were many times my pants were so thin I could sit on a dime and tell if it was heads or tails.”

Those who`ve lived and loved and achieved, deserve a well earned send off, and part of that involves an insightful obituary.  Many people mistakenly think that an obit is a lament.  Hell no, forgive my French.  Heavens above, it`s a celebration of a life well lived.  Just exactly what that person got up to from the moment of birth to their last breath, makes a damned good read.

Let`s be honest…because life`s too short to fib!  The older you get, the faster you turn to the obit page of a newspaper, even if it`s online, rather than an inky broadsheet form, to find out: “Who`s had a jolly good innings!” Those who`ve stuck around a long time, tend to wonder if their buddies up in Heaven think they haven`t made it there?

Over the years, the sporting and social club near to where I live and of which I`m a member, has accumulated an ageing membership.  There`s a long deathly pale noticeboard near the main stairway, which duly and grimly announces who`s recently passed away, along with funeral details and a photo.. in better times.  One member was heard to worriedly remark that it was filling up rather too fast.  To which an older shareholder, sardonically advised him not to worry all that much… until his name appeared alongside theirs‘.

The boxing world and especially its hands on participants, who`ve reached for the stars and brushed  their shining edges, often tend to be audacious risk takers.  The champs are markedly more single mindedly ambitious than the rest of us, as they powerfully and purposefully work their tails/butts off, to become rich, successful and famous: “Top of the World Ma!!!”  Rags to riches and sometimes rages, proves all more fascinating, if they`re noted or narrated by someone who knew them well.

Then there are the king makers. The trainers, the coaches, who: “Seed it all,” by cultivating a very green shoot, into a mighty oak, via a weedy, whippy sapling.   And in their turn, those who attentively listen to the wind in the willows, and pay attention to the bark, by taking a leaf out of the book of their elders and betters.  And in so doing, branching out through their clenched palms.  Watch out.  “Timber!”

Or the cutmen, who work miracles in sixty seconds, to staunch the blood with their “Grease paint,” and iron out the swelling, while all the time,  shielding their guy,  sometimes,  even by artfully blocking out a curious referee, with a broad back. True to form!

A sage one hundred year old told me that, if only he`d known he was going to live this long, he`d have definitely taken better care of himself.  A one hundred year old woman confided that all her life, she`s smoked a single cigarette after lunch, knowing that it was duly and daily damaging her health…and she was determined to quit… today!  A lovely lady approaching her late eighties: “From the wrong side,” told me that nowadays: “We`re all living far too long, quickly adding that she and her husband who`s even more mature, are carefully isolating themselves during the pandemic, because: “When it`s our turn to pop off, we want to go gently into that good night.”

In a sport involving strong hands, it tends to be a rule of thumb that boxers are not noted for their longevity.  After rail  hard upbringings, many live for the here and now of today, consigning tomorrow to look after itself.  There are exceptions of course, who`ve done far better than par for the course. Max Schmeling,  Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney. Life spans are gradually changing and lengthening with better attention to boxing safety, and the welfare plus wellbeing of lives outside the ring, once the championship years are over.

As we`re masking our trepidation, keeping our distance and quarantining ourselves, we have a unique opportunity to better understand just how lucky we`ll be to regain our freedom and paradise lost, once this is all over.  Rumors flying around can prove almost as deadly as mutated microbes.  We must maintain a positive mindset, all of us must be fighters and box clever, always remembering that  the first rule of boxing to: “Protect yourself at ALL times.”

It`s an important life saver and it`s a vital life lesson.