Imagine this -- a gay man being one of the greatest professional boxers in the history of the sport. You don't have to imagine it, it's true. Emile Griffith, a six-time world champion and charter member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, is a homosexual.
This is hardly news. People in the boxing community have known (or suspected, few ever actually talked about it) of Emile's orientation for decades. It has been confirmed in recent years by other forms of media, but never in the form of a book. Until now. Ron Ross has written, "Nine ... Ten ... And Out! The Two Worlds of Emile Griffith."
It is a fascinating book that the 70-year-old Griffith authorized Ross to write. It is the journey of how a young man from the Virgin Islands, with a high, sing-song accent, found his way into a boxing gym and was quickly launched into stardom. He was, simply put, a natural fighter. And if that seems like a contradiction, well, that's the story of Emile Griffith.
The book also covers in depth Griffith's 1963 welterweight title fight with Benny "Kid" Paret, which resulted in Paret's tragic death. This quote in the book from Griffith sums up the book, and his life, perhaps better than anyone could:
"I keep thinking how strange it is ... I kill a man and most people understand and forgive me. However, I love a man, and to so many people this is an unforgivable sin; this makes me an evil person. So, even though I never went to jail, I have been in prison almost all my life."
Griffith's prime years in the ring were the 1960s. And while that decade may be known for peace, love and understanding, few in that era were ready to accept an openly gay athlete. (Is our society even ready today?) Couple that with the fact that Griffith competed in a sport as rugged as boxing and his lifestyle was all the more complex.
In his previous book, "Bummy Davis vs. Murder Inc," Ron Ross flexed his creative muscles. That was a wonderfully crafted story, full of color, drama and humor. In this effort, Ross proves to be an excellent reporter and, more importantly, a man who was determined to tell a story yet protect Griffith's dignity. He has clearly succeeded.
Ross, from Oceanside, had turned down several book deals because he felt the publishers were simply interested in exploiting Griffith's sexuality. He finally found an understanding business partner in boxing promoter Lou DiBella. In addition to promoting several world champions, DiBella, through his company, DiBella Entertainment, has already produced one feature film and a feature-length documentary. He understood the value of the story, but also believed there was a proper way to tell it.
The fear of exploitation wasn't the only obstacle in Ross' path. He began work on this project in 2002 and at that time Griffith was his primary source. But as the years passed, Griffith's health declined and his memory became less reliable. When the book was published this month, it was a bittersweet time for Ross.
"Emile is happy, he's content," said Ross. "So that makes me very happy. He understands that his story has been told and that's important."
On the final page of the book, Ross writes, "Emile Griffith is victimized by living in a world of diversity that strives for uniformity. It is perhaps one of the great hypocrisies of our civilization... There is only one way to judge Emile Griffith and that is by not judging him at all. Rather, accept him as a great champion and understand that Emile Griffith the prizefighter had three major flaws -- or virtues. He was too gentle. He was too giving and he was too sensitive. At least for the world where he was king."
The book is available at barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com. -- CASSIDY