With Muhammad Ali, 1977

Many thanks to Roy Willner for sharing some of his pictures from a 1977 Special Olympics event at which the team appeared with Muhammad Ali.

Willner got a laugh from one of the many magic tricks The Champ often performed. Bobby Stokes, left, seemed to be an uncomfortable participant in the act.

One over zealous fan foisted herself on Ali for a photo. Roy recalled Ali was rather annoyed, which his expression indicates.

Paul Cannell's Thought for the Day

In these troubling times, Paul offers us all words of wisdom and solace.

Mike Lester Goal, 1977

Mike Lester spent one season with the Dips, and a Chicago Tribune photographer was in perfect position to capture his goal that gave the Washingtonians a 1-0 lead at Soldier Field on May 7, 1977. An unidentified wire service reporter described the action.

“The first half was scoreless with only seven shots taken as much of the action took place at midfield. With just under four minutes elapsed in the second half, Bobby Stokes shot from point-blank range, but Sting goalie Mervyn Cawston stopped it (top photo). The ball bounced back in front of Lester who was 20 feet out (#3, far right of top photo). Lester then tapped the ball back in before Cawston could recover (middle photo).”

Afterward, Lester got a hand from Stokes, Gary Darrell and Don McAllister (bottom photo).