Muhammad Ali

Back in the 60s, a man I worked with hated Ali (Cassius Clay, at the time) so much that each time Ali won a fight, he became incensed and bet me five dollars he would lose next time.

Some folk just have too much hate time on their hands.

Ali lived a good and decent life apart from his unfortunate health issues. When it came to the health, he handled the Parkinson's admirably, not going about complaining.

More on his long battle with Parkinson's:

www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/ali-face-struggle-parkinson-disease-article-1.2660640

I listened to his first fight against Liston on a transistor radio, on the deck of a destroyer. I had listened to Joe Louis fight before, but this one had more hype and excitement, and now I was old enough to understand the implications. I was hooked and have loved the guy ever since. I agree that he was another kind of champion in later life and I admired that one as much as the first.

As I said this before, on Snood's thread, I sort of met him.

I have told about it before here, but I'll add it again.

I worked with a design team on Main
Streep in Santa Monica, and I had local friends, place I'd lived for years. A pal (one of the women I call SmartAssGroup, as someone called us that) came to our studio and we crossed Main Street to go to the bakery we liked. Out the door came Ali and I woman I took as his wife. My friend stopped them to talk, the wife and me watching.

I am now guessing this was middle eighties. I know we knew he had Parkinsons.
My friend's father was a golden gloves winning boxer, had died with what was called boxers brain after several tough family years. Similar to alzheimers - we didn't all know about that back then. Including me, when I faced Alz with my mother.

Anyway, Mary walked right up to them and the wife (I've no idea of that relationship) watched as she expressed her joy to meet him. As did I.

I think she cried while happy. Did they clasp hands, I don't remember.

This all was fairly short. In my area we tried not to pester people who were known by media. I've no memory of what we discussed in the bakery with our sweet rolls and coffee. Not about sweet rolls.

He had guts and he put action to where his big mouth was.

My favorite Muhammad Ali moment (when asked if he would "serve" in Vietnam):

"Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on Brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights? No I’m not going 10,000 miles from home to help murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave masters of the darker people the world over. This is the day when such evils must come to an end. I have been warned that to take such a stand would cost me millions of dollars. But I have said it once and I will say it again. The real enemy of my people is here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom and equality…. If I thought the war was going to bring freedom and equality to 22 million of my people they wouldn’t have to draft me, I’d join tomorrow. I have nothing to lose by standing up for my beliefs. So I’ll go to jail, so what? We’ve been in jail for 400 years."

After taking this stand and refusing to be drafted into the US Army, Ali was arrested, convicted as a felon, stripped of his boxing title, prohibited from boxing anywhere and given a prison sentence for refusing to go to Vietnam. He appealed it all the way to the Supreme Court where he won.

This is the kind of selfless, courageous action we are sorely missing today. Who amongst us would risk EVERYTHING for what we believe in, for doing what we know in our hearts is right?

It's never too late.

via Michael Moore

I am tempted to add my friend's fathers name in memory, but I'll have to ask first and that could be complicated, not so much by the question but effort to find her.

I was early against us in Vietnam, ticked to all that by my father's concerns, some where around '62 or thereabouts. I didn't march, always being at work, later sorry about that as one massive protest happened near by my area.

On the other hand, I'm not a mob type.
The one protest I got into was years later as a Women in Black. We wore black, and stood still, as highway truckers and ordinary cars passed. Lots of good honks.

We may need that group to oomph up again.

Howard Cosel added to the fun. I loved those two guys together.

This is very long, but so entertaining...

Muhammad Ali was coaxed into "This is your life"....

I have been watching the MSNBC presentation on how Ali beat Foreman.

George Foreman: "A part of me slipped away."

Writers re Ali - I think this is a must read; I've just started reading it..

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/01/best-writing-about-muhammad-ali.html

I just looked at Billy Crystal's eulogy for Muhammed Ali. Cried off and on between laughing and smiling.

Billy Crystal's eulogy was magnificent.