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Muhammed Ali

Posted by Herb7734 7 years, 9 months ago to Culture
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When I lived in Michigan, I had a store in a town called Farmington, which was a suburb of Detroit.I belonged to a service club there and one of the things we sponsored was an organization called The Rainbow Connection. They sponsored fulfilling the wishes of terminal children at All Children's Hospital. One little boy wanted to meet Muhammed Ali. His people were contacted and we raised enough money to send for him first class and several of his enterage. He accepted. Up until then, I never though of Ali one way or another, but I changed my mind. Why? Because he refused to accept the transportation money. Then he spent the morning visiting the kid that brought him there. Then he spent the afternoon visiting every child who was visitable in the hospital. I thought about him a lot after that. When encountering a truly good person,one's outlook on humanity is refreshed in a way that nothing else can compare to. My experience was that of encountering a very good man.


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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 7 years, 9 months ago
    On the day the news brought us the story of the revocation of his title one of the platoon members stated, "guaranteed those who had a hand in this were unamerican, anti-constitution and had never been in the ring with anyone. Every profession has it' s careerist REMF's. It's still his title until someone takes it away 'in the ring.'

    Some years later we heard another news cast. After 50,000 plus lives and the destruction of a nation the same type of people had decided to 'give it back' and still call it a victory. They lied. But what do you expect from dishonorable, carreerist REMF's When finally over the count was just under 60,000. - for nothing.

    Afteer seven and a half years on his watch Obummer has made the same claim what? three times now?

    He isn't a careerist - at anything. He has no honor. He is un American and anti Constitution. But most of all he's just a third rate Rear Echelon Mother Feather. I changed the last word for he isn't near staunch nor tough enough to use the original F word. He's just a feather.
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  • Posted by freedomforall 7 years, 9 months ago
    Great story, Herb.
    As a way to highlight just how rare Ali was in comparison, here is another story.
    Some years ago, I made my first trip to Europe. I was enjoying a visit to the Louvre museum in Paris when there was a minor commotion as a celebrity and his manager were escorted through the museum by museum security. I told my friend who it was and she walked up to the manager and introduced herself. He was cordial and friendly but in the few seconds that they talked the "celebrity" had raced ahead (apparently ignoring the works of the master artists surrounding him) and the manager had to cut short the conversation and try to catch up.
    Moments later, the unescorted "celebrity" had broken the nose (and camera) of a Parisian man at the exit from the museum.
    The friendly, cordial manager was Don King.
    The thug celebrity-bully was Mike Tyson.
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  • Posted by Dobrien 7 years, 9 months ago
    That is an awesome story Herb thanks for recanting it. That is part of a legacy , one has to respect!
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    • Posted by 7 years, 9 months ago
      In those days, much Ali news was negative. There's nothing like personal experience to prove the truth.
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      • Posted by H2ungar123 7 years, 9 months ago
        Heartily agree! Many, many years ago my husband and I strolling down Broadway (NYC) spotted Ali surrounded by a group of
        kids who were so excited to be there. He
        was speaking to them. We watched. Still known as Cassius Clay. So young, so hand-
        some, so gracious when my husband went
        to him to shake his hand....If I had only asked for his autograph THEN!!! RIP
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  • Posted by johnpe1 7 years, 9 months ago
    Thank You for posting this, Herb. . until this, I had
    thought of him as a draft dodger who practiced a
    sport which I find disgusting. -- j
    .
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    • Posted by 7 years, 9 months ago
      Although boxing played a part in my family, I was never a fan. Ali stood up for what he believed and paid a large price at the peak of his career. He wasn't always rational, but he strove to be good.
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      • Posted by johnpe1 7 years, 9 months ago
        it just strikes me as unwise to celebrate people
        doing their best to knock one another out of
        consciousness. . maybe they could compete at
        applying the greatest number of foot-pounds of
        energy to a punching bag in 3 minutes? -- j
        .
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        • Posted by 7 years, 9 months ago
          Compared to martial arts, boxing is a mild endeavor, with a long history. However, it is not my cup of tea either. It is, though, one of the ways along with other sports that a poor kid with athletic ability can rise above his surroundings. Note how rare it is that a upper middle class or wealthy youngster become a top athlete.
          Your point is well taken, if personal injury is what you find problematic, then football, basketball, and yes, even baseball cause injuries, some of which can be life changing. Then there's ice hockey. Oy vey. Remember the old joke, "I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out."
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          • Posted by johnpe1 7 years, 9 months ago
            yessir -- I tried hockey for a few weeks and learned
            all about that. . didn't have the taste for blood.

            it's a good part of my desire to go into engineering.
            use your brain and then when your body goes, you
            still have an income. -- j
            .
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  • Posted by $ Abaco 7 years, 9 months ago
    I've always been a fan. But the older I got, and the wiser I got the more I really appreciated Ali. Right after he passed I did the rare activity of putting something on social media - a tiny tribute to the man. In it I explain that few people have the balls (sorry) to stand up against injustice when everybody is sure you're wrong. But, that's what he did, losing at least three years of his prime career in the process. I'm sure my fellow Objectivists know what I'm talking about.

    It was clear that Ali loved kids. So, this story doesn't surprise me one bit. Saturday morning right after he passed I had scheduled a visit to our boxing gym for one of my workouts. It was a strange, quiet vibe in the gym. Just before I got there a local news crew came in with one of their sexy lady reporters to do a small piece and interview our youngest fighter in the gym that day. The kid did us proud with a fine interview. After the news crew left the workouts began. This young man looked really, really good in sparring. It was just a strong vibe in the gym Saturday morning.
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    • Posted by 7 years, 9 months ago
      If you are a boxer, Ali had to be one of your idols. Talk about poetry in motion. My dad and three of my uncles were amateur boxers, and one was a pro boxer, who became a Rabbi. (I have a weird family).
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      • Posted by $ Abaco 7 years, 9 months ago
        Yeah, I'm too old to fight really anymore. Too slow and am trying to preserve what little brains I have left. But, I still train to keep fit. And, frankly, it's very therapeutic.

        Boxer who became a Rabbi...that's unique!
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        • Posted by 7 years, 9 months ago
          Boxing training is one of the best ways to keep fit. I could last maybe ten seconds on any of the workouts.
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          • Posted by $ Abaco 7 years, 9 months ago
            Haha! Yeah...it's humbling to me. My sparring time has been with middle weight guys, maybe light-heavy, all half my age. Humbling. A couple rounds in and I'm in the "deep water"...
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            • Posted by 7 years, 9 months ago
              There was a time when I could hold my own in endurance, if not talent. However, the only sport I was ever any good at and enjoyed was racquetball which has fallen out of favor of late. I'd sweat off several pounds and learned a few tricky moves that would befuddle my younger, faster opponents. So..I got a win every now and then, and could give the youngsters a match. But alas, those days are long gone, as is most of my physique.
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  • Posted by $ warehousesteve 7 years, 9 months ago
    I was a young 12 year old boy when my brother Mike, our best friend Eddie and I road our bikes to The Shine Inn in Chicopee MA not knowing anything about boxers. The "Champ" and his staff took the time to talk to us and even sign pictures. We were impressed by their actions. There was something about him that kept us in awe. This was in 1965. Rest In Peace "Champ"
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