Muhammad Ali: Memories of The Champ

I was born at the end of Muhammad Ali’s boxing career and by the time I came to know him, Parkison’s disease had robbed him of a lot of his physical gifts. Everything I came to know about Muhammad Ali, I gleaned from watching highlights of his old fights, reading books and from stories. Ali was world famous and since his death on Friday night, many sportswriters have written great pieces on The Champ. His impact on the world and on the United States is undeniable. Muhammad Ali was many things to many people, but for the black community in Louisville, KY, he was “ours.”

I went to the barbershop on Saturday morning, the day after the news of Ali’s passing began to spread. ESPN had multiple reporters in Louisville, covering the city’s reaction from the Muhammad Ali Center and from the Louisville Metro Hall, where Mayor Greg Fischer gave an impassioned speech regarding Ali. The mood around the shop was different. The city of Louisville, and specifically the black community, had lost an icon. Whenever people debated who the greatest athlete of all time was, Muhammad Ali had to be mentioned. And, in turn, it was always special to point out that he was from Louisville, KY.

Muhammad Ali was born in 1942 in a heavily segregated Louisville. Like every black citizen of the time, he attended Louisville’s Central High School. As Ali began to ascend in the world of boxing, becoming an outstanding amateur fighter (two national Gold Gloves titles and the 1960 Olympic light heavyweight gold medal), he became the proverbial “hometown boy makes good.” And when Ali defeated Sonny Liston in 1964 to become the heavyweight champion of the world, the West End of Louisville erupted.

"“I’m the greatest fighter of all-time and Louisville, KY is the greatest city of all-time.” – Muhammad Ali."

My dad was five years older than Ali and knew of him as they were growing up. Of all athletes, most of whom my dad didn’t particularly care for, Ali was undoubtedly his favorite. He spoke of Ali’s exploits in reverent, yet familiar tone. And it was like that for most black Louisvillians of my dad’s generation. No matter what, Ali was always “our guy.” It might have been a little known fact that he started out his career as The Louisville Lip, but certainly not within the 502 area code and most certainly not in the western part of the Derby City.

When Mike Tyson hit the boxing scene in the mid 80s, he was undoubtedly the baddest man on the planet. When I brought this up to my dad, without any hesitation, he told my that Ali was better. I didn’t agree until one night ESPN Classic ran a special of Ali’s fights. For one night, I watched The Greatest do his thing against some of history’s greatest boxers. Right then and there I was convinced that my dad was right. I’m not sure Tyson would have been able to land a devastating punch and even if he did I’m not sure it would have effected Ali. Inside the boxing ring, Ali was without peer.

Outside of the ring is where Ali’s impact is even greater. Obviously, his stance against the Vietnam War and his fight against being drafted was divisive. Changing his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Al was radical to some. And Ali said some things that are clearly problematic (his view on interracial marriage for one). But, here was a kid that grew up on the wrong side of Louisville, KY that had worked hard and become the most famous person in the world. And to a lot of people in his hometown, that meant and still does mean a lot.

This past July, my father passed away from complications from Alzheimer’s disease. Toward the end of his life, we placed him in a memory care facility. During one visit, we were watching TV and Muhammad Ali was on the screen. Even though Ali wasn’t the vibrant, youthful person my dad remembered, my dad still knew him. My dad watched for a few minutes and looked over at me and said “Son, those Louisville boys are fighters, we never give up.” That is what Muhammad Ali meant to his hometown.