Former Driver of Ali speaks on his times with the GOAT
Since the mid 1960’s, 82-year-old Marvin Elkind was the driver for Muhammad Ali any time Ali visited Canada . The two formed a friendship over the years, which was still strong until Ali’s recent passing. Elkind has also been the driver for a number of other high profile boxers, as well as former Teamsters union boss James R. Hoffa. Elkind worked as a driver for decades, notably in organized crime circles, as is detailed in his book “The Weasel: A Double Life in the Mob”. This “double life” refers to the time throughout the 1980’s to the early 90’s when Elkind was as an informant for law enforcement. In this interview, Elkind discusses his friendship with Ali, among other friendships he has in the boxing world.
DL: When did you first meet Muhammad Ali and what led to you driving for him?
ME: 1965. We were in New York . George Chuvalo was there to fight Floyd Patterson. We all stayed at a hotel across from the old Madison Square Garden . Muhammad and I were in an elevator together. I told him who I was and I said, “If you’re ever Toronto , give me a call. I’d be glad to pick you up and take you around.” I gave him my card and he said, “Who are you? I don’t need you.” The next day, I found out that Muhammad wanted a suite at the hotel. Joe Louis had a suite and Muhammad wanted one, too. All the suites were taken except one and it was reserved. People told Muhammad, “Go talk to Marvin Elkind. He knows this hotel well.” I was Mr. Hoffa’s driver when it was the Teamsters headquarters. He came up to me and put his arm around me and said, “You know, there were a lot of people around before and it was just an act.” I said, “That’s okay.” He said, “You think you can get the suite?” I got him the suite and he was very happy and that was the beginning of our friendship.
DL: How did your friendship evolve from there?
ME: He came to Toronto with Bundini Brown and Howard Cosell. He was there because George Foreman was fighting five guys in the same night. One right after the other. All stiffs. I was driving Ali around when he was there and it was fantastic! Bundini had been converted to Judaism. We discussed the conversion and we talked about the Torah. Ali understood Judaism and he talked about it. With Howard being Jewish, he understood it. It was a very nice time. In 1988, we had a fundraiser here honoring George Chuvalo. Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier, and Yvon Durelle all came in. A lot of fighters were here. Muhammad was one of them. The night before the big dinner, I had one of the major restaurants in Toronto throw a free dinner for Muhammad. I was there with a bunch of people. Muhammad and Lonnie (Ali’s wife) were there. I was very impressed with how Lonnie handled things. Whatever happened, Lonnie would say to Muhammad that Marvin wants to do this or Marvin wants to do that. And then she would ask him if that was okay. Whatever it was, she let it be known that he was the one calling the shots. Muhammad at that time had the early signs of Parkinson’s. There was a doctor in Toronto named Dr. Morton Shulman. He was very well known and he was a stock market genius. He wrote a book on it. Shulman had Parkinson’s and he eventually died from it. He brought in a drug from Germany called Deprenyl. He had the North American rights for the drug. It didn’t cure Parkinson’s, but it arrested it. I knew Morty very well, because Morty was good friends with the OPP police officer who was in charge of me (while Elkind was working as an informant). So, I took Muhammad to Morty and he got him a prescription for Deprenyl and that was a big reason why he was able to go on so many speaking tours, even after the Parkinson’s. That’s why he gave me a bracelet years later. It’s a 24 carat gold bracelet with the design of the Torah. It’s beautiful! He gave it to me for my 70th birthday.
DL: What other boxers are you friends with and have driven for?
ME: I always had a strong relationship, and still do, with George Chuvalo. I had a very strong relationship with Archie Moore. I had a fantastic relationship with Rocky Marciano. We became very good friends. I have a tremendous relationship with “Boom Boom” Mancini. My relationship with Jake LaMotta was very difficult at times. It wasn’t always that easy, but I had a pretty good relationship with him. I had a good relationship with Yvon Durelle. Yvon fought Archie Moore in Montreal . He knocked Archie down five times, but Archie got up and knocked him out. Yvon fought George Chuvalo later and George beat the shit out of him. I drove all the big boxers who came through Canada . Joe Louis, Sonny Liston… I had so much fun with Sonny Liston! He loved good times, loved good food, loved the ladies… I drove Don King when he was here. Don impressed me in two ways. I had to drive him and his daughter to a restaurant. It was a very classy high class restaurant. I pulled up to the restaurant and I said, “What time do you want me back?” He said, “I want you to park the car and come in and join us.” I did and I had a great time with them and he tipped me $100.
DL: I understand that you were once at odds with Evander Holyfield.
ME: We made up. Now, here’s what happened... We had a big fundraiser here for Parkinson’s. Muhammad, Evander, Lennox Lewis, Larry Holmes… They were all here. Muhammad and Evander came in on the Coca Cola jet. Muhammad signed autographs. I asked Evander to sign an autograph and he refused. He said, “I don’t give autographs.” So, when the fundraiser was over and it was time for me to take them to the airport, I said, “I don’t want Evander in my car.” So, I took Larry Holmes and Muhammad together, instead of Evander. I didn’t like Evander, but a few years ago, we were at a banquet together. And Evander came up to me and said, “Marv! Come here! I want you to meet my friends and show them the bracelet Muhammad gave you.” So, we made up.
DL: What do you recall about driving for Joe Frazier?
ME: Joe and I got along real good. He was a good friend of mine. I once mentioned the “Thrilla in Manilla”. He said, “You mean the Killa in Manilla!” Joe came in once and I was with George (Chuvalo) and George’s grandson. I picked him up from the airport and he wanted to go for Chinese food. I said, “Okay, I’ll take you to the best place in town.” I took him to the Mandarin and he said, “I don’t want to go in.” I said, “Why?” He said, “Look at all the cars. I don’t want a bunch of people coming up to me right now. Can you take me some place else?” So, I took him to another place and me, Joe, and George Chuvalo had Chinese food (Frazier and Chuvalo fought in 1967 with Frazier winning via 4th round TKO). I remember one time Joe said that he would never forgive Muhammad for the way Muhammad belittled him. He was very angry about that after all that time.
DL: Do you have any closing thoughts you would like to say about Muhammad Ali?
ME: Muhammad was a very understanding person. There were times when people around him would tell him about me and some of the things I did and the people I was involved with. Muhammad would say, “That might be true, but Marvin had a hard life and he did what he had to do.” Regardless of my past, which I’m not very proud of, he always treated me with a great deal of human respect.
DOVEED LINDER IS THE AUTHOR OF “RINGSIDE: INTERVIEWS WITH 24 FIGHTERS AND BOXING INSIDERS”, WHICH WILL SOON BE RELEASED THROUGH MCFARLAND PUBLISHERS. THIS BOOK FEATURES A FOREWORD BY BOXINGTALK PUBLISHER GREG LEON.
M
Send questions and comments to: doveed@hotmail.com
