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Plimpton did what many Americans only envisioned.
Outside the literary world, Plimpton was famous for competing in professional sporting events and then recording the experience from the point of view of an amateur. In 1960, prior to the second of baseball's two All-Star games, Plimpton pitched against the National League. His experience was captured in the book Out of My League. (He intended to face both line-ups, but tired badly and was relieved by Ralph Houk.) Plimpton sparred for three rounds with boxing greats Archie Moore and Sugar Ray Robinson, while on assignment for Sports Illustrated. In 1963, Plimpton attended pre-season training with the Detroit Lions as a backup quarterback and ran a few plays from scrimmage in an exhibition game. These events were recalled in his best-known book Paper Lion which was later adapted into a feature film starring Alan Alda. Another book, Open Net, saw him train as an ice hockey goalie with the Boston Bruins. His classic The Bogey Man chronicles his attempt to play professional golf on the PGA Tour during the Nicklaus and Palmer era of the 60s. Among other challenges for Sports Illustrated, he attempted to play top-level bridge and spent some time as a high-wire circus performer. Some of these events, such as another attempt at professional football, and an attempt at stand-up comedy, were presented on the ABC television network as a series of specials. After being demolished at tennis by Pancho Gonzales he wrote that he considered himself to be a fairly accomplished tennis player and that the drubbing by Gonzales was the most surprising of his ventures against the great athletes of his time. - Wikipedia
When Plimpton boxed Moore, friends(?) of Plimpton's told Moore that Plimpton had been a boxer in college and thought he could take Moore. Needless to say, the first few seconds of the match were a bit tough for Plimpton. Moore quickly realized that Plimpton had never boxed, and took it easy on him (very easy*). Later, Plimpton asked Moore how long the "match" would have lasted had Moore been serious. Moore's reply was, "About the time it takes to feel the nick of the guillotine on your neck, or a bit less than it takes a tree to fall after being chopped down."
*Putting even an amateur boxer in with a seasoned pro, regardless of the pro's age is generally not a good idea. A friend of mine was an All Army featherweight champion, and could handle himself really well when it was necessary. I once saw the current All Service heavyweight champion spar with a very over the hill Floyd Patterson. It started well, but after a few seconds, Patterson threw a 4 punch combination, not intending to hit the guy, just to show him the difference between an amateur and a pro. The All Service champion turned and dove halfway out of the ring. What a pro boxer can do to the guy on the stret in a few seconds is scary. A 70-something year-old Henry Armstrong, who neve really fought at over 150 pounds when he was a Champion at 3 weights simultaneously (the only man to do that), was the victim of an attempted mugging by a couple of really stupid wannabe muggers. He tuned one, who later rolled on his pal. Like the Rich, the Pros really are different.
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