Happy birthday to the late, great Manute Bol, one of the most fascinating and unforgettable personalities in NBA history. The 7-foot-7 shot-blocking legend would have turned 64 today, at least according to his official records. His life was filled with stories that sound almost too crazy to be true. - His actual age remains a mystery. His former college coach, Kevin Mackey, claimed he made up Bol's October 16, 1962 birth date because nobody knew when he was really born. Mackey even believed Bol might have been in his 40s when he entered the NBA. - His first attempt at dunking reportedly cost him his teeth. Standing 7-foot-7, he misjudged his jump and smashed his mouth against the rim. He later wore false teeth because of the incident. - Before becoming an NBA player, Bol claimed he killed a lion with a spear while protecting cattle in Sudan. His family also recounted the story, although it was never independently verified. - In 1993, the towering center suddenly turned into a three-point sniper against Charles Barkley's Phoenix Suns. He knocked down six threes in one half, finishing with 18 points. The Suns initially laughed when he started shooting, but eventually had to guard him beyond the arc. - During the 1987-88 season, the Washington Bullets had both Bol, the NBA's tallest player at 7-foot-7, and Muggsy Bogues, the shortest at 5-foot-3, on the same roster. That is a 28-inch height difference between two teammates. - In 2002, the former NBA center stepped into a boxing ring against former NFL star William "The Refrigerator" Perry, who outweighed him considerably. Bol won the celebrity boxing match by decision and donated his reported $35,000 appearance fee to charity. - His sporting adventures even extended to professional hockey. He signed a contract with the Indianapolis Ice despite never having played the sport. The team got him enormous custom skates, but he never actually took the ice during the game. He eventually removed the gear because his feet were swelling. - As if boxing and hockey were not enough, he also received an honorary horse-racing jockey's license in 2003. A 7-foot-7 NBA giant was technically licensed as a jockey. He never competed in a race, but the publicity stunt helped promote his charitable efforts. - One of his wildest NBA records has nothing to do with his height. He finished his career with 2,086 blocks and only 1,599 points, making him the only player in NBA history to record more blocked shots than points across his career. Behind all the bizarre stories was an incredibly generous man. He devoted much of his money and time to helping people affected by war and poverty in Sudan. Even his strange celebrity appearances were often attempts to raise money for humanitarian causes.