Community Chat

[Marianne1]

PhilaLady1:  my husband is from that area too.  

He spent every summer at a camp in the Poconos. 

One of his favorite memories was the time that Muhammad Ali walked into his bunk house and hung out with the kids.  He still has the autograph from that day-- but more importantly, he has the great memory.

This was a Jewish camp, in the early 70's, and a Muslim man.  But none of that mattered.  It was a man and some kids, bonding, joking, playing.

[HappyDaze]

Very sad to hear of his passing. The end of an era, a boxing icon. I will never forget when he lit the olympic torch- I thought that was really cool.

[pitdakota]

Muhammad Ali has long been a controversial figure.  My husband served in Vietnam, but followed Ali and had great respect for him.  He has always defended Ali's right to stand up for his beliefs.  On the other hand my MIL would have nothing to do with him.  If her son would go off and risk his life, she felt Ali was no better than her son.  lol  She is now gone, but mother and son agreed to disagree about Ali. They both respected each other's right to have a different opinion.

He was also brash which offended some as well, but to others it made Ali who he was and they embraced that part of Ali's personality.  He was also a civil rights activist and participated in many activities to bring about change.  Many may not know that his Olympic Gold medal lies at the bottom of the Ohio River.  He threw it in the river disgusted over how he was treated as a black man. 

His controversy will be a part of his legacy and he would want it that way. 

But today, there is a  wife and 9  children that are in deep grief. A wife has lost her beloved husband and 7 daughters and 2 sons have lost their daddy.  Ali also has grandchildren and many very close friends that are experiencing a deep loss right now.

His funeral will be in Louisville and he will come home one last time.  RIP Ali.

[Tinkrbl44]

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@sunala wrote:

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@sidsmom wrote:

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@bri20 wrote:
What a shame. He seems like such a sweet man

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There might be a few out there that would say otherwise.

Had numerous affairs & was a draft dodger, 

but time makes one forget. 

@sidsmom I don't care about his affairs, but I never forget a draft dodger, no matter how much time passes by.

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@sunala

Just curious, why do you give him a free pass on his numerous affairs?    

[Noel7]

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@PhilaLady1 wrote:

Please allow me to tell my story and memories of Mr. Ali.

For short time in the early 70's, Muhammed Ali bought a house in Philadelphia and lived there for a few years.  His house was was right across a creek that separated his neighborhood from mine.

Every weekend when we did not have school, religious obligation, or anything else our parents wanted us to do, we kids would ride our bikes and knock on his door, to shake hs hand, or ask for an autograph, or just to say Hi and meet him.  I'm not talking mobs of kids.  We were always respectful and would only go in a group of 2 or 3.  If we saw other bikes on his porch or other kids around, we would go home and come back another day.

Now let me tell you this... it shouldn't and doesn't matter, but back then it did.  We were children of families that escaped the Nazi's just in time from Central Europe and Italy.  Jews and Catholics living together in a tiny corner of the city where our families settled after arriving at Ellis Island in NY.  We were not Black, and we were not Muslim.  Some people had a problem with that, and well, I'll say fearful that 10 or 12 year old kids are knocking on a stranger's door.

Anyway, my point is that Mr. Ali was ALWAYS kind and welcoming.  ALWAYS openning his front door, chatting with us for a few minutes, autographing pictures we brought with us of him.  EVERY WEEKEND.

I feel almost like his passing is a personal lost.  He truly was the Greatest.

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Thank you for that story @PhilaLady1

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[LilacTree]

Muhammad Ali and I shared a birthday.  I believe he was a conscientious objector in the true sense.  I also believe his "I'm the greatest" and braggadocio act was just a schtick.  He was part of the civil rights movement.  He was controversial but one cannot deny his impact on the world. 

I also hate boxing, and he suffered greatly for many, many years from a disease that was, perhaps, due to that sport.  He's gone now, as we all will be.  I don't know enough about him otherwise, so I won't make any love/hate judgment on him.

[Lucky Charm]

Boxing is a gruesome, bloody fight. 

Deaths do occur as I'm sure Mr. Clay knew when he switched to his 'passive' faith.

I didn't know you could go for 30 years with Parkinson's. 

[PhilaLady1]

@Noel7 , my pleasure.  It's my way of honoring the man.

[SleeplessinSD]

My father died of complications with Parkinson's in 1989. It was very sad  for me to watch Muhammad Ali's decline over the years. My heartfelt condolences to his family...RIP🙏❤️😢

[barrel racer]

Don't care, a draft dodger.