Just read this on RacerX, thought it was cool.
And then there was yesterday’s sad news that Nelson Mandela passed. He lived a life that saw him go from activist to prisoner, revolutionary to historic icon. The good news is that he was 95 years old, a long life for a man who spent twenty-seven years in prison fighting for respect and civility in South Africa, where apartheid laws made the existence of the great majority of the population cruel and difficult. There was a place in heaven waiting for Nelson Mandela.
I bring Mr. Mandela up because there is a motocross tie here: Back in 2004, when James Stewart was the dominant young rider in the 125 class as well as our sport’s first black rider to win races and championships, James received an invitation signed by Mandela himself to come and race at the FIM Motocross Grand Prix at Sun City, South Africa. The hope of the organizers was that the American superstar would become a role model for young South Africans. Due to the logistics and timing, Stewart could not go, but the engagement speaks volumes to one Mr. Mandela’s key beliefs:
“Sport has the power to change the world…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.”
