The word unique is often banded around erroneously.
Ali really, really was however.
As a boxer he moved around like a middle weight in an era of flat footed sluggers. He was good enough to be in every conversation as to the 'greatest of all time.'
As a man and role model he had the courage to stand up for his principles against the USA government. Irrespective of of whether you agreed or disagreed with him that cannot be denied.
As for his fame and impact how can you describe them to those who were not 'there?' The best I can do for the youngsters is say think David Beckham and multiply by a thousand. You still won't be close but you might have some idea.
He was a true hero of mine and although not unexpected it is still very, very sad.
Didn't want to taint my post on Ali with personal stuff but for me it is all the more poignant as I remember my beloved late father waking me up in the early hours of the morning so we could creep downstairs to watch the Sonny Liston fight
The wittiest and most intelligent of boxers. If you get the chance see if you can check out some of his interviews with Michael Parkinson. The man was class
Muhammad Ali. Probably the most famous sportsperson of all Time. The Greatest. The only personality I ever went out of my way to get a glimpse of when he left an interview at Capital Radio and I was in the West End at the time. It wasn't just me, a crowd was waiting outside Euston Tower just to see the great man for a few seconds. He was special in so many ways and sadly joins the 2016 celebrity death list, perhaps at the very top.
I put this on Facebook, but thought it should go here too. Ali opposed the war in Vietnam on moral grounds and went to jail for it. He saw it for what it was, a war of poor people fighting poor people for rich men's gain even before Dr. King gave his famous speech "Why I am opposed to the Vietnam War."
Muhammad Ali was brilliant at many, many things. But his words as a conscientious objector are the first thing I think of when it comes to opposing war on moral grounds. And he was HATED. Do not let the lovely tributes to him now gloss over that fact.
"My conscience won't let me go shoot my brother, or some darker people, or some poor hungry people in the mud for big powerful America. And shoot them for what? They never called me nigger, they never lynched me, they didn't put no dogs on me, they didn't rob me of my nationality, rape and kill my mother and father. Shoot them for what? I gotta go shoot them? Little poor black people little babies and children and women. How can I shoot them? Just take me to jail."
"You my opposer when I want freedom. You my opposer when I want justice. You my opposer when I want equality. You won't even stand up for me in America, for my religious beliefs, and you want me to go somewhere and fight but you won't even stand up for me here at home."
My dad and i , listened to the rumble in the jungle on the radio, legend gets over used these day, but not for Muhammad Ali, as good out the ring, as in it. RIP
Though some of what he said about his opponents were a bit low of the belt but pretty much everything else about this man was a class act. His fights in and out the ring are inspirational. His fights against Frazier, Forman and Liston are the best fights I've ever seen. his fights against racism, against war and against social injustices are incredible and his long battle with Parkinson's heroic. His Muslim beliefs are those which I wish the Islamic extremist would learn from. Peace beyond all else.
A boxing legend who shook up the world. A true man of the people. Rest in peace Muhammad Ali.
My late Dad's hero too Hants, based his eulogy around Cassius Clay (by which he was always referred), genuinely think that the greatest sportsman of this lifetime, not just for the craft, agility, guile and sheer bloody mindness, but the aura, the articulacy delivered at pace, then his ultimate battle that he certainly didn't shy away from as 2 Olympic opening ceremonies proved. RIP The Greatest, hope at least a couple of Dads get to meet him upstairs, there will be one long queue.
His Muslim beliefs are those which I wish the Islamic extremist would learn from. Peace beyond all else.
A boxing legend who shook up the world. A true man of the people. Rest in peace Muhammad Ali.
One of my most lasting memories from September 11th is a very brief speech he gave during a celebrity telethon for the victims. At a time when the whole country was in a bit of shock, and many were just learning that there was a thing called "Islam," let alone what it was or what it was about. He came on stage with Will Smith, bless him he was really struggling and there'd been rumors he wasn't well enough to attend, but he was there and he said "Islam is peace." "The people doing this in the name of Islam are wrong, and if I had a chance I'd do something about it."
Teared up watching it again.
I'm too young to remember him properly as a fighter, or really even as an activist. But I will remember this from my lifetime.
I grew up when in my formative years (early 60s) when blacks were compared to monkeys. Enoch Powell was a visionary and I lived down the road from Southall, where Indian immigrants were concentrated and reviled. I could have been a converted racist had it not been for Ali.
Not only a charismatic speaker but class in the ring and an immediate hero for all of my generation. The prison saga was something exceptional. He did not attack the cowards that jailed him but got on with his life. (The only bloke who could safely pick up his soap off the floor of the shower while inside?)
I put this on Facebook, but thought it should go here too. Ali opposed the war in Vietnam on moral grounds and went to jail for it. He saw it for what it was, a war of poor people fighting poor people for rich men's gain even before Dr. King gave his famous speech "Why I am opposed to the Vietnam War."
Muhammad Ali was brilliant at many, many things. But his words as a conscientious objector are the first thing I think of when it comes to opposing war on moral grounds. And he was HATED. Do not let the lovely tributes to him now gloss over that fact.
"My conscience won't let me go shoot my brother, or some darker people, or some poor hungry people in the mud for big powerful America. And shoot them for what? They never called me nigger, they never lynched me, they didn't put no dogs on me, they didn't rob me of my nationality, rape and kill my mother and father. Shoot them for what? I gotta go shoot them? Little poor black people little babies and children and women. How can I shoot them? Just take me to jail."
"You my opposer when I want freedom. You my opposer when I want justice. You my opposer when I want equality. You won't even stand up for me in America, for my religious beliefs, and you want me to go somewhere and fight but you won't even stand up for me here at home."
Think there is an interesting contrast to the way people now view Ali's stance on Vietnam and the way I think, probably some of the same people, would view it if a public figure was refusing to go and fight in a war today.
I remember when the brash American loudmouth came over to fight Henry Cooper in 1963. I swear there wasn't a single Brit who didn't want to see him pole-axed and shut up for good. How we cheered when Henry floored him in the 4th. And the stain of foul play inflamed our English sense of fair play after the bell. But he won and then against the odds he humbled the unbeatable Liston to become world champion as he predicted. He won us over. He won us over as a Champion and as a man. His fights became unmissable events that you begged your Dad to be allowed to stay up late and watch. You were beguiled and amused at his braggadocio. Through the guise of Elijah Muhammed's (arguably slightly warped) version of Islam, Ali found his name and his niche. He transcended the sport that made him famous. His name was known in every nation in the world. Yes he was flawed like any human being (his treatment of Frazier left a sour taste) but his legacy is monumental. I feel blessed that he graced the world in my lifetime.
I put this on Facebook, but thought it should go here too. Ali opposed the war in Vietnam on moral grounds and went to jail for it. He saw it for what it was, a war of poor people fighting poor people for rich men's gain even before Dr. King gave his famous speech "Why I am opposed to the Vietnam War."
Muhammad Ali was brilliant at many, many things. But his words as a conscientious objector are the first thing I think of when it comes to opposing war on moral grounds. And he was HATED. Do not let the lovely tributes to him now gloss over that fact.
"My conscience won't let me go shoot my brother, or some darker people, or some poor hungry people in the mud for big powerful America. And shoot them for what? They never called me nigger, they never lynched me, they didn't put no dogs on me, they didn't rob me of my nationality, rape and kill my mother and father. Shoot them for what? I gotta go shoot them? Little poor black people little babies and children and women. How can I shoot them? Just take me to jail."
"You my opposer when I want freedom. You my opposer when I want justice. You my opposer when I want equality. You won't even stand up for me in America, for my religious beliefs, and you want me to go somewhere and fight but you won't even stand up for me here at home."
Think there is an interesting contrast to the way people now view Ali's stance on Vietnam and the way I think, probably some of the same people, would view it if a public figure was refusing to go and fight in a war today.
Curios to hear more on this. Also worth noting that he was really despised by many here in the States. There are few things that scare America, and arguably the western world, like a smart, arrogant black man. Was just reminded of this by seeing a brief piece on TV about Marshawn Lynch, who is considered a thug and yet graduated in the same class at Berkeley, the best public university in the US, as myself.
I've just started watching this, am incredibly intrigued. William F. Buckley is one of the most intelligent, charming, articulate, and cultured racist homophobes in American history.
He came to NZ in the late seventies and fought nine wannabes one after the other in exhibitions in front of over 45,000. He was even more of a hit out of the ring and great with the kids.
He was the greatest in terms of sporting personality. He was also a brave man of principle. I remember as a kid, he was always a treat to listen to, in the same way Brian Clough was. R.I.P. great man .
Just seen a remarkable interview on the bbc featuring Davis Miller biographer and friend.
On Easter weekend 1988, then struggling writer and movie store clerk Davis Miller drove to Muhammad Ali's mother's modest house in Louisville, knocked on the front door, and waited for an answer. It had been over two decades since he’d first glimpsed The Champ on a black-and-white television—when Miller was an eleven-year-old boy, shattered by the unexpected loss of his mother—and he felt the time had come for him to personally thank the man whose fearlessness, grace, and tenacity gave him the power to overcome a near-paralyzing depression. When the door finally opened, Miller would not only get to meet his “spiritual constant” but also begin a surprising and tender new friendship that would forever transform his life.
He's way before my time so I feel a bit dumb for not knowing much about him apart from the fact that I remember my dad trying to tell me about how great he was when I was a kid. The name stuck.
I've just you-tubed an interview he did with Parkinson and it's very very good. This man clearly had a deep soul and was one of a kind.
22mins with parky told me a lot about the bloke.
Cool as hell. Clever. Funny. Fiercely Competitive.
Comments
I remember watching the fight with cooper, and who knows, maybe history might have had to be written, if not for the bell but I very much doubt it.
Truly a legend and total one off, if anyone had I right to brag, it was him.
the world is most definitely a poorer place, now that he's no longer with us.
r i p, a true champ and man.
Ali really, really was however.
As a boxer he moved around like a middle weight in an era of flat footed sluggers. He was good enough to be in every conversation as to the 'greatest of all time.'
As a man and role model he had the courage to stand up for his principles against the USA government. Irrespective of of whether you agreed or disagreed with him that cannot be denied.
As for his fame and impact how can you describe them to those who were not 'there?' The best I can do for the youngsters is say think David Beckham and multiply by a thousand. You still won't be close but you might have some idea.
He was a true hero of mine and although not unexpected it is still very, very sad.
RIP
Read The Fight by Norman Mailer about the Rumble in the Jungle, one of the best books written about sport.
Muhammad Ali was brilliant at many, many things. But his words as a conscientious objector are the first thing I think of when it comes to opposing war on moral grounds. And he was HATED. Do not let the lovely tributes to him now gloss over that fact.
"My conscience won't let me go shoot my brother, or some darker people, or some poor hungry people in the mud for big powerful America. And shoot them for what? They never called me nigger, they never lynched me, they didn't put no dogs on me, they didn't rob me of my nationality, rape and kill my mother and father. Shoot them for what? I gotta go shoot them? Little poor black people little babies and children and women. How can I shoot them? Just take me to jail."
"You my opposer when I want freedom. You my opposer when I want justice. You my opposer when I want equality. You won't even stand up for me in America, for my religious beliefs, and you want me to go somewhere and fight but you won't even stand up for me here at home."
A boxing legend who shook up the world. A true man of the people. Rest in peace Muhammad Ali.
Teared up watching it again.
I'm too young to remember him properly as a fighter, or really even as an activist. But I will remember this from my lifetime.
Not only a charismatic speaker but class in the ring and an immediate hero for all of my generation. The prison saga was something exceptional. He did not attack the cowards that jailed him but got on with his life. (The only bloke who could safely pick up his soap off the floor of the shower while inside?)
I swear there wasn't a single Brit who didn't want to see him pole-axed and shut up for good.
How we cheered when Henry floored him in the 4th.
And the stain of foul play inflamed our English sense of fair play after the bell.
But he won and then against the odds he humbled the unbeatable Liston to become world champion as he predicted.
He won us over.
He won us over as a Champion and as a man.
His fights became unmissable events that you begged your Dad to be allowed to stay up late and watch.
You were beguiled and amused at his braggadocio.
Through the guise of Elijah Muhammed's (arguably slightly warped) version of Islam, Ali found his name and his niche.
He transcended the sport that made him famous.
His name was known in every nation in the world.
Yes he was flawed like any human being (his treatment of Frazier left a sour taste) but his legacy is monumental.
I feel blessed that he graced the world in my lifetime.
I've just started watching this, am incredibly intrigued. William F. Buckley is one of the most intelligent, charming, articulate, and cultured racist homophobes in American history.
He came to NZ in the late seventies and fought nine wannabes one after the other in exhibitions in front of over 45,000. He was even more of a hit out of the ring and great with the kids.
Uniquely charismatic, inspirational, determined, defiant, articulate, funny and just a beautiful athlete.
The greatest sportsman of all time and one of the greatest human beings of my lifetime.
On Easter weekend 1988, then struggling writer and movie store clerk Davis Miller drove to Muhammad Ali's mother's modest house in Louisville, knocked on the front door, and waited for an answer. It had been over two decades since he’d first glimpsed The Champ on a black-and-white television—when Miller was an eleven-year-old boy, shattered by the unexpected loss of his mother—and he felt the time had come for him to personally thank the man whose fearlessness, grace, and tenacity gave him the power to overcome a near-paralyzing depression. When the door finally opened, Miller would not only get to meet his “spiritual constant” but also begin a surprising and tender new friendship that would forever transform his life.
It is on iplayer here from (06:11 to 06:18)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcone?rewindTo=current
Be a long time before we see another like him.
HBO's tribute.
The name stuck.
I've just you-tubed an interview he did with Parkinson and it's very very good. This man clearly had a deep soul and was one of a kind.
22mins with parky told me a lot about the bloke.
Cool as hell. Clever. Funny. Fiercely Competitive.