1-17-07
Throughout the world there are people who don't know who Muhammad Ali is...to those people I simply say.....someday you will.
Throughout the world there are people who don't like Muhammad Ali...to those people I simply say...I imagine there are lots of people that you don't like.
Throughout the world there are people who don't think Muhammad Ali was the greatest fighter who ever lived...to those people I simply say...If you ignore speed, size and power then of course you can make a case for someone else.
PUTTING THOSE THREE NEGATIVE ISSUES ASIDE I can state without question or qualm that..
MUHAMMAD ALI...formerly known as Cassius Marcellus Clay...is the single most recognizable person on the planet...and perhaps the most revered person still living.
His life transcends the sports world in ways that could fill volumes in the library. When one speaks of a sports icon it usually is used in reference to high level athletic ability directed towards a sport.
Muhammad Ali is a ICON....period.
Sports just happened to be part of the package...and of course his sport was boxing....which by the way...is boxing still around? I've been reading about some Ultimate "stuff" taking place but it doesn't seem to resemble the sport of boxing.
Those of us who have been fortunate enough to grow up with Muhammad Ali fully realize that his responsibility to mankind goes way beyond fighting.
On February 25,1964 Cassius Clay knocked out Lee Harvey Oswald, who was hiding in the body of Sonny Liston. I was 18 years old and probably smiled for the first time since November 22, of the previous year.
If one adheres to the String Theory on ANY shape or form...then one can easily connect dots that might not have been visible with normal observation. When one creates analysis of historical facts then often times the connecting dots turn into EXTREMELY THICK LINES.
Muhammad Ali, starting on 2-25-1964, would create a worldwide connection that do this day is amazingly thick and strong...even if he is not. Muhammad Ali introduced Africa to the world when he fought George Foreman. At the same time he introduced Africa to America. I remember looking at a map just to see where Zaire was...I really think it was the first time I had looked at Africa outside of a school assignment.
I don't know if there are African leaders who would admit to be motivated by Ali because everything I read about Africa is negative...but I am sure there must be.
The test of any one celebrities metal comes down to the reaction when they die. I can promise you that when Muhammad Ali dies the worldwide reaction will be unparallelled.
I'm sorry for bringing up death on one's birthday but February is approaching and those of you who know me realize that I have no choice in the matter. Those of you who don't know me will learn about February as we get closer to 2/04.
Back to yesterday and a nice memory.
Having been born and raised in Los Angeles I've had a few Ali sightings and one personal contact that I will treasure forever.
The first time I saw him was in May of 1977 at a Star Wars viewing. He sat two rows in front of me and all I remember thinking was how beautiful the color of his skin was. I had never seen a shade like that and he seemed to glow. I'm sure his celebrity status had something to do with the glowing part but as the lights went down and those words appeared on the screen....LONG AGO....FAR FAR AWAY....IN ANOTHER GALAXY....I proceeded to watch the movie with the shape of Muhammad Ali's head covering a tiny bit of the screen....right in the middle...at the very bottom.
Two years later in 1979 I was working in Hollywood at 960 N. La Brea which was the corporate office of the Aaron Brothers company. My father was in charge of the wholesale division and our offices were adjacent to the retail store on the ground floor. For those of you who don't know, Aaron Brothers is a chain of Art and Custom Framing stores throughout California. The wholesale division had nothing to do with the retail stores but our offices and the store was only separated by a wall.
One day, shortly before lunch, a retail employees rushed into my office and said, "Muhammad Ali is in the store getting something framed." I looked up and said, "Isn't his skin beautiful." The guy looked at me strangely and hurried away to tell someone else. I was very busy at the time and almost didn't go out to take a look, but it was close to lunch and my father wasn't in his office, so I decided to check him out.
As I walked into the showroom I noticed a circle of about 8 to 10 people standing around one person. As I got closer I realized that each person was handing Ali a dollar bill to be signed. He signing each bill as it got put in front of him, and he never raised his head once.
As I was watching this process I suddenly stepped up to the circle and stuck out my hand, without a bill in it, and simply said, "Mr. Ali...I would just like to shake your hand and thank you for the wonderful and exciting moments." The space/time continuum moment thing happened and he stuck out his shaking hand and raised his head and looked me straight in the eye and said, "Thank you." Although he was physically having a problem...his eyes were clear and penetrating....and yes his skin was a beautiful shade.
I swear it felt like it lasted for five minutes but in retrospect I'm sure the moment was not longer than 3 to 5 seconds.
All I know is that after I pulled my hand away he looked down and signed the rest of the bills that were being thrust in his face...and never looked up again. I stood there for a few minutes, checked him out and then went back to my office.
I wonder if those people still have those bills? I wonder if that was a standard method of autographing for him? I wonder what the largest denomination was that he ever signed?
I know I wouldn't trade that moment for any signed bill.....well, maybe a signed $10,000.00 bill... or a $10,000.00 bill not signed would be OK to trade for that memory.....is there such a bill still in circulation? I don't think so.
The bigger question is.....is Muhammad Ali still in circulation? Over the next few years, after that 1979 moment in time, I used to see him driving around town in his Maroon Bentley. Does his physical aliment still allow him to go out and get pictures framed...or see a movie? I hope so.
Today he celebrates his 65th birthday and that fact that I have had one of my all time favorite historical figures live at the same time....in the same country...in the same city....makes everything just seem....nicer. And from Louisville to Michigan to California, I am sure there are quite a few people who feel the same way.
Happy Birthday and hopefully and the Universe will allow our Strings to cross again.
Muhammad Ali's importance as a human being
Throughout the world there are people who don't know who Muhammad Ali is...to those people I simply say.....someday you will.
Throughout the world there are people who don't like Muhammad Ali...to those people I simply say...I imagine there are lots of people that you don't like.
Throughout the world there are people who don't think Muhammad Ali was the greatest fighter who ever lived...to those people I simply say...If you ignore speed, size and power then of course you can make a case for someone else.
PUTTING THOSE THREE NEGATIVE ISSUES ASIDE I can state without question or qualm that..
MUHAMMAD ALI...formerly known as Cassius Marcellus Clay...is the single most recognizable person on the planet...and perhaps the most revered person still living.
His life transcends the sports world in ways that could fill volumes in the library. When one speaks of a sports icon it usually is used in reference to high level athletic ability directed towards a sport.
Muhammad Ali is a ICON....period.
Sports just happened to be part of the package...and of course his sport was boxing....which by the way...is boxing still around? I've been reading about some Ultimate "stuff" taking place but it doesn't seem to resemble the sport of boxing.
Those of us who have been fortunate enough to grow up with Muhammad Ali fully realize that his responsibility to mankind goes way beyond fighting.
On February 25,1964 Cassius Clay knocked out Lee Harvey Oswald, who was hiding in the body of Sonny Liston. I was 18 years old and probably smiled for the first time since November 22, of the previous year.
If one adheres to the String Theory on ANY shape or form...then one can easily connect dots that might not have been visible with normal observation. When one creates analysis of historical facts then often times the connecting dots turn into EXTREMELY THICK LINES.
Muhammad Ali, starting on 2-25-1964, would create a worldwide connection that do this day is amazingly thick and strong...even if he is not. Muhammad Ali introduced Africa to the world when he fought George Foreman. At the same time he introduced Africa to America. I remember looking at a map just to see where Zaire was...I really think it was the first time I had looked at Africa outside of a school assignment.
I don't know if there are African leaders who would admit to be motivated by Ali because everything I read about Africa is negative...but I am sure there must be.
The test of any one celebrities metal comes down to the reaction when they die. I can promise you that when Muhammad Ali dies the worldwide reaction will be unparallelled.
I'm sorry for bringing up death on one's birthday but February is approaching and those of you who know me realize that I have no choice in the matter. Those of you who don't know me will learn about February as we get closer to 2/04.
Back to yesterday and a nice memory.
Having been born and raised in Los Angeles I've had a few Ali sightings and one personal contact that I will treasure forever.
The first time I saw him was in May of 1977 at a Star Wars viewing. He sat two rows in front of me and all I remember thinking was how beautiful the color of his skin was. I had never seen a shade like that and he seemed to glow. I'm sure his celebrity status had something to do with the glowing part but as the lights went down and those words appeared on the screen....LONG AGO....FAR FAR AWAY....IN ANOTHER GALAXY....I proceeded to watch the movie with the shape of Muhammad Ali's head covering a tiny bit of the screen....right in the middle...at the very bottom.
Two years later in 1979 I was working in Hollywood at 960 N. La Brea which was the corporate office of the Aaron Brothers company. My father was in charge of the wholesale division and our offices were adjacent to the retail store on the ground floor. For those of you who don't know, Aaron Brothers is a chain of Art and Custom Framing stores throughout California. The wholesale division had nothing to do with the retail stores but our offices and the store was only separated by a wall.
One day, shortly before lunch, a retail employees rushed into my office and said, "Muhammad Ali is in the store getting something framed." I looked up and said, "Isn't his skin beautiful." The guy looked at me strangely and hurried away to tell someone else. I was very busy at the time and almost didn't go out to take a look, but it was close to lunch and my father wasn't in his office, so I decided to check him out.
As I walked into the showroom I noticed a circle of about 8 to 10 people standing around one person. As I got closer I realized that each person was handing Ali a dollar bill to be signed. He signing each bill as it got put in front of him, and he never raised his head once.
As I was watching this process I suddenly stepped up to the circle and stuck out my hand, without a bill in it, and simply said, "Mr. Ali...I would just like to shake your hand and thank you for the wonderful and exciting moments." The space/time continuum moment thing happened and he stuck out his shaking hand and raised his head and looked me straight in the eye and said, "Thank you." Although he was physically having a problem...his eyes were clear and penetrating....and yes his skin was a beautiful shade.
I swear it felt like it lasted for five minutes but in retrospect I'm sure the moment was not longer than 3 to 5 seconds.
All I know is that after I pulled my hand away he looked down and signed the rest of the bills that were being thrust in his face...and never looked up again. I stood there for a few minutes, checked him out and then went back to my office.
I wonder if those people still have those bills? I wonder if that was a standard method of autographing for him? I wonder what the largest denomination was that he ever signed?
I know I wouldn't trade that moment for any signed bill.....well, maybe a signed $10,000.00 bill... or a $10,000.00 bill not signed would be OK to trade for that memory.....is there such a bill still in circulation? I don't think so.
The bigger question is.....is Muhammad Ali still in circulation? Over the next few years, after that 1979 moment in time, I used to see him driving around town in his Maroon Bentley. Does his physical aliment still allow him to go out and get pictures framed...or see a movie? I hope so.
Today he celebrates his 65th birthday and that fact that I have had one of my all time favorite historical figures live at the same time....in the same country...in the same city....makes everything just seem....nicer. And from Louisville to Michigan to California, I am sure there are quite a few people who feel the same way.
Happy Birthday and hopefully and the Universe will allow our Strings to cross again.
Muhammad Ali's importance as a human being
is leaps and bounds....
WAY
BEYOND
FIGHTING
Michael Timothy McAlevey
WAY
BEYOND
FIGHTING
Michael Timothy McAlevey
Posts
3 comments:
AMEN BROTHER
THE GREATEST... IS
Ali has got to be one of the greatest, if not THE greatest sports figures that has ever walked the planet. Nobody in my lifetime has even come close to electrifying a crowd the way he could. I remember watching the Ali -vs- Shavers fight 30 years ago. I used to enjoy when the fights were on regular TV and we could all watch them.
In baseball it was Babe Ruth. How cool would it be for those two to still be at full strenght today?
Gene
I agreed one of the greatest fight is between Ali - FRAIZER FIGHT
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