Muhammad Ali died in June 2016. I wrote this tribute to him at that time and shared with friends on email.
Ali’s greatest battles did not happen in the ring. The two toughest were probably being a young, angry, black man in America in the 1960’s and then having to fight Parkinson’s disease for much of his life. Ali said that after the 1960 Olympics, he threw his gold medal in the Ohio River after he and friends were refused service at an “all white” restaurant in the United States. He later provided his own refusal by not serving in the US military in Vietnam. At the time, he effectively made the choice to give up what was his ticket to fame and fortune. Of course, his path did still lead to a position of influence; however, he could not have known that when he made the decision. I’m not sure many of us would have had the same conviction when faced with the same choices. Parkinson’s effectively stripped Ali of being more outspoken in the years when America could use his voice. The symbolism of him lighting the flame at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta was special on many fronts.
I believe Muhammad Ali’s name has come up in the context of Elvis Presley and George Chuvalo.
Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali took two different approaches in relation to the Vietnam war. Both men were, I believe, of the same intellect, yet their paths were polar opposites. Presley was a poster boy for the war effort and his voice and screen presence were made very public. Ali made his stand and stayed in the United States to face his numerous detractors. He did not become a draft dodger to a safe jurisdiction. Stripped of his boxing title, he answered questions from a black, American perspective and his comments had substance even though they were very blunt. They have a greater meaning and understanding by some of us today then they did at the time.
George Chuvalo was referred to by Ali as the toughest man he ever fought. Chuvalo fought Ali twice and went the distance both times. In 1966, when Ali could not get a title fight in the United States, Harold Ballard set the fight in Toronto after Montreal bowed to pressure from the Americans to not hold the fight there. Just over two weeks before the fight, the American challenger refused to fight Ali and George Chuvalo was called to replace. Chuvalo took a lot of punches and completed all the rounds.
My second cup is now empty……..
