Ali

Muhammad Ali - born 1942- died 2016

Ali was a remarkable man and he showed us all that one man can make a difference.
He stood by his beliefs and was a true people champion.

He was bold and brash and was black and a Muslim- he never ran from any of it.
He backed up his mouth, man could he dance in the ring- a heavyweight weighing over 200 lbs. and he danced on his toes the whole time- his opponents could not catch him.
They took away 4 of his prime years as a athlete but still came back in one of our most brutal sports, not twice but three times.

There is no reason in the world he should have beaten George Foreman to regain the title , George had just whooped Joe Frazier and Joe has just beat Ali. George a monster and in his absolute prime.
But Ali out smarted him, he knew what to do and he did it- simply amazing.

But what Ali did outside the ring was even more amazing, at a great time of civil unrest and time of war he stood up and said what was in his heart- that is real strength.
He sacrificed it all and came back to be the most loved athlete in the entire world.

Everyone that knew him said he never refused a autograph.
Muhammad once visited our Children's hospital in R.I., just dropped in unannounced to help bring a smile to the kids. He stopped at a little milk store on the way out and within minutes the place was flooded with people, he smiled and shook hands with everyone.

I was at the 1991 Super Bowl and attended the tailgate party threw by the NFL, it was the first of it's kind, bands playing , actors and past athletes walking around and yup the Greatest showed up.
The event was in a huge arena and my friend came to where I was on one side and said you have to come to the other side and that Ali was there- he knew I was a huge Ali fan.
I battled the crowd, working my way to him shouting the whole time- ALI YOU ARE STILL THE GREATEST- I got o right in front of him still shouting and handed him my Redskin hat- he looked at me and smiled and chuckled , signed the brim and handed it back.

Still have that hat-

Ali helped many -mostly by being a example .

One man can make a difference -