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GEORGE FOREMAN
A mugger and street brawler at age 15, GEORGE FOREMAN saw his life going nowhere but from one cheap bottle of wine to another. After President Lyndon Johnson had started the JOB CORPS, George saw an athletic idol on a television commercial saying, “If you have dropped out of school and want a second chance in life, then the JOB CORPS is for you.”
Since George was going nowhere and getting there fast he took the first step-off to Oregon and then on to California where he met Doc Broaddus, a JOB CORPS counselor and boxing coach, who told George to redirect his life from alley fighting and dedicate himself to a single task – boxing; he (George) had the potential to be a world champion. In 1968, after winning the Gold Medal in the heavyweight division of the Olympics, George walked around inside the ring waving a miniature American flag. When asked, “Why,?” George said, “I wanted everyone in the world to know I was an American and proud of the opportunity that I was given to do what I had done.” In January, 1973, GEORGE FOREMAN became the Professional HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.
The Man With a Vision Big George built The George Foreman Youth & Community Center in 1984 with money Foreman had saved through his eight year retirement. Big George wanted to create a haven for kids to hang out. He insisted that the kids would not be in any way indoctrinated – he just wanted the kids to come.
The youth center was one of George’s biggest inspirations to jump back into the ring. After a successful year of support, Foreman’s accountant told him that he would go broke if he continued to use his own money to support the center. Foreman had no intentions of giving up or begging for money to support the center. He knew that he would have to do it himself. Big George jumped into the ring a year later. The rest is history.
The Preacher George Foreman is an ordained minister. Foreman started his ministry after a religious experience that took place in his dressing room after losing to Jimmy Young in 1977.
George’s Favorite Scripture:
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on hislaw he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Psalms 1
The Family Man Spending time with the family is always a treat. My dear wife Mary, whom I affectionately call Joan, and I are never lonely! There are 5 big healthy boys and 5 girls who always remind the boys “who’s the boss” in the Foreman Bunch. Oh and yes, the boys are all named George. There is: George Jr., George III, George IV, George V, George VI. I was really close to naming all the girls George as well, but I decided that might have been overkill. Their names are Michi, Freeda George, Georga, Natalie, and Leola. George Foreman VI is still new to us all…I call him “MiniMe.”
The Rancher When not in church or on the road you can always catch me somewhere near my animals. We have a ranch in the Piney Woods of Marshall, Texas and there I have tons of different birds ostriches, turkeys, pigeons, and you name it. I love to just sit out and feed them to relax. Big George’s ranch is in Marshall, Texas. Marshall is located in the Piney Woods of Northeast Texas. Marshall is also the birthplace of Big George.
I have a big heart for all my animals, but I admit that raising and riding horses is probably something I enjoy doing the most at the ranch.
I must admit that raising and riding the horses are my favorite. I tend to boast about my Icelandic stallions and my Arabian horses.
The Foreman Ranch is well-over 300 acres and it’s really a “getaway.” Goats, cows, llamas, donkeys, deer, and various other animals roam the many meadows and pastures on the ranch.
- 1949 Born January 10th
- 1968 Wins gold medal for heavyweight boxing at the Olympics in Mexico City
- 1973 Defeats Joe Frazier to become heavyweight champion
- 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” with Muhammad Ali and loses his heavyweight title.
- 1977 Experiences religious awakening in the dressing room after losing a 12 round decision to Jimmy Young. George begins his ministry and retires from the ring.
- 1987 Returns to the rings. Spotlight leads to endorsements for big names like Thompson’s water sealant, McDonalds’s, Doritos, Nike, and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
- 1991 Gains respect in the ring by challenging Evander Holyfield to 12 rounds for the Heavyweight title. Though not victorious, record 1.4 million pay-per-view subscribers saw the fight. And showed the world that the age 40 is not a death sentence for athletes.
- 1993 Becomes the “guarantee” for Meineke mufflers and stars in a short-lived TV sitcom entitled “George”.
- 1994 Wins heavyweight title at age 45 from Michael Moore, 26
- 1995 Knocks the fat out of cooking by becoming partners with Salton promoting the George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine.
- 1999 Crowned “King of the Grill” after selling over 10 million grills.
