The Greatest

"I shook up the world!" - Cassius Clay upon defeating Sonny Liston

I'm not exactly known to my friends as a sports fan. The reason being, I've found that most professional athletes are a let down. Most of the 'sports heroes' of my youth have proven to be less than spectacular people (right O.J. Simpson?). That is, with the exception of The Greatest, Muhammed Ali.

I guess even as a kid, I held people to high expectations. We are all endowed with the ability for greatness and most fall way short of the mark. It's easier to glide than excel.

Not so for Muhammed Ali. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. 70 years ago today in Kentucky, Ali proved from an early age that he was the greatest. Fuming over the theft of his bike (at age 12), the young Clay wanted to "whup" the thief. A cop suggested he learn to box first. And learn to box he did!

The young Clay proved to be an amazing boxer. 6 Golden Glove wins. A gold medal in the light heavyweight division in the Olympics. If he had never turned pro, those achievements alone would have given him a lifetime of bragging rights. But there was so much more in store for him.

Let's keep to the highlights here: Clay's career was impressive enough to land him in the ring against the heavyweight champ, Sonny "The Bear" Liston. Clay was only 22. At the pre-fight weigh in, Clay's pulse rate was an astonishing 120. Liston assumed this was anxiety on the young boxer's part. It was not. It was the Greatest's internal engine firing up!

It was one helluva fight! If you enjoy boxing, look for the fight online. It has been alleged that Liston attempted to cheat by smearing a substance on his gloves to burn the eyes of his opponents (a number of previous opponents also claimed that their eyes burned during fights with Liston, yet nothing was ever proved). Clay was partially blinded at one point during the match but kept on going. His speed and fancy foot work kept him in the fight long enough for sweat and tears to clear his eyes. Clay eventually defeated Liston. He shook up the world. He even knocked Liston out with the "phantom punch" in their rematch.



But Ali was more than just a boxer. He is a man of principals. He converted to Islam in the early 60s and took the name Muhammed Ali. This upset many here in the heavily Judeo-Christian US of the 1960s. But he kept on fighting.

Ali was first considered unqualified for military service due to poor reading and writing skills on his pre-draft examination. Later revisions classified him a 1A and fit for service. Ali flatly declined the draft. At a time when celebrities didn't feel it their place to voice their personal opinions, Ali made it clear the he had no intention to go to Vietnam to kill because "no Viet Cong ever called me a nigger". Ali was arrested and stripped of his hard-won title and his license to box. Oddly enough, he never served time.

The next four years were spent fighting for his right to box, which he won at the Supreme Court level. After his first match back, the state of New York also reinstated his boxing license.

The rest of his professional boxing career is well known. The Fight of the Century. The Rumble in the Jungle. The Thrilla In Manilla. Anytime Ali fought, it was an event. It was more than just a boxing match. It was real entertainment. The pre/post fight interviews with Howard Cosell were always hilarious as well as engaging, with Ali quipping "I float like a butterfly and I sting like a bee!" and of course, "I'm so pretty!" to name just a few. Ali has always been a class act!

After retiring, Ali has given much time and money to numerous charities he believes in. Diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 1984, Ali could have snuck away into history but remained a very public figure. In 1987 he was selected by the California Bicentennial Foundation for the U.S. Constitution to personify the vitality of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights in various high profile activities. Ali rode on a float at the 1988 Tournament of Roses Parade, launching the U.S. Constitution's 200th birthday commemoration. He published an oral history, Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times by Thomas Hauser, in 1991. That same year Ali traveled to Iraq during the Gulf War and met with Saddam Hussein in an attempt to negotiate the release of American hostages. Ali received a Spirit of America Award calling him the most recognized American in the world. In 1996, he had the honor of lighting the flame at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

On November 17, 2002, Muhammad Ali went to Afghanistan as "U.N. Messenger of Peace". He was in Kabul for a three-day goodwill mission as a special guest of the United Nations.

On January 8, 2005, Muhammad Ali was presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President George W. Bush.

He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony on November 9, 2005, and the "Otto Hahn Peace Medal in Gold" of the UN Association of Germany for his work with the US civil rights movement and the United Nations.


On November 19, 2005, the $60 million non-profit Muhammad Ali Center opened in downtown Louisville. In addition to displaying his boxing memorabilia, the center focuses on core themes of peace, social responsibility, respect, and personal growth.

According to the Ali Center website, "Since he retired from boxing, Ali has devoted himself to humanitarian endeavors around the globe. He is a devout Muslim, and travels the world over, lending his name and presence to hunger and poverty relief, supporting education efforts of all kinds, promoting adoption and encouraging people to respect and better understand one another. It is estimated that he has helped to provide more than 22 million meals to feed the hungry. Ali travels, on average, more than 200 days per year."

Now, age 70 and still battling Parkinson's Disease, Ali is still known the world over. He was,is, and will always be, at least in my humble opinion, The Greatest.

In a day and age where there are few true sports heroes left for the kids to look up to, there is still Muhammed Ali. He never murdered anyone, raped anyone, or more importantly, never cheated anyone. He is living proof that hard work and determination are still the name of the game. No one ever handed him anything. He worked for it and he fought for it. And that folks, in my book at least, is a hero.

Happy Birthday Champ!

M