It is sad that for many young people, Gerald Ford is going to be remembered as the clumsy guy that Chevy Chase & SNL got huge ratings from. He was an outstanding athlete, not JUST a college football player as riffjim4069 mentioned, but a huge football hero in a day when college football was much bigger than the NFL. Because he was so active he occasionally took a spill while skiing etc.
Gerald Ford was an honorable man, who did what he felt was best for the nation, and the office of the president, despite what it did to his political career. He never asked to be president, but when asked, he answered the call. He became vice-president, and then president, because he was one of the few people that both Democrats and Republicans respected enough to enable his nomination to be approved by the Senate.
I voted for him as a Congressman, in the presidential primary, and for president.