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The Louisville Legend
Summer 1960, Rome — a cocky and confident young man from Louisville’s West End laced up a pair of boxing gloves and stepped into a ring. He left with an Olympic gold medal and the world’s awe and attention for decades thereafter.
In the half-century since his victory, he went on to be the first boxer in history to win three world heavyweight championships, including fights that redefined not only the sport of boxing, but an athlete’s role as entertainer and icon; earned the admiration and respect of much of the planet for his political and spiritual courage; became the international idol of millions as the embodiment of fearless aspiration and achievement; and, as a humanitarian and ambassador of goodwill, ultimately received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, lit the Olympic flame, and inspired the creation of the Muhammad Ali Center.
On Monday, USA Today Sports Weekly is releasing a Muhammad Ali special edition titled “50 Years of Greatness.”
And you, sports / reading / Louisville fan, got to hear about it first. . . .
The Friend of Lou Legacy
But there’s more! You can earn yourself a special (as in free) edition, signed by Ali Center CEO, Greg Roberts.
Here’s what you gotta do:
Post a comment below about why or how Ali represents Louisville to you. (Think: Ambitious! Unique! Creative! Heck — the Absolute Greatest!) While you’re there, check out some of the other comments, too. We’ll pick 10 lucky winners at the end of the month.
I was given a choice of Transylvania or Bellarmine as colleges I could attend. Because I loved Ali so much, it was pretty easy to pick Louisville over a place that harboured vampires. Who knew Bellarmine was named after someone who drew blood from scientists?
Louisville would be well served to take more of a lead from the example set by Muhammad Ali. His courage and conviction to never give up should be an inspiration to us all. Ali’s ability to see the whole and apply his individual drive to make a difference. If each of us did one thing, where he has accomplished many, we would be a city worthy of being the home of such a great man.
Many years ago I worked at a bank and Muhammad Ali came in to see the President of the bank. People were asking him for autographes and wanting to shake his hand. He was so gracious and kind while speaking with everyone. He was not rushing anyone and spoke to everyone with that wonderful smile on this face. My only regrete was that I hated to bother him and didn’t get to speak with him or get an autograph. But my memory of that day is enough.
Ali had a lovable but in your face confidence that is indicative of the emergence of Louisville as a world class city. His two liner poems have inspired lots of copycats like Johnie Cochran. Without “Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee”, there would never have been “If the glove don’t fit you must acquit”.
Many years ago in Key West, we were short of funds to complete our summer children’s youth program. I don’t know how he knew about our plight, but Ali came to town, donated the money we needed and disappeared before anyone could publicly thank him.
I have a book on Islam that Muhammad signed and gave me many years ago; being in his presence was awe inspiring. In my youth I listened to his fights on the radio; I was a fan of the boxer, I will always be a fan of the man.
Cocky? No, just a strong and confident man. I recall that at the end of his battles, he always gave a “shout out” to Louisville, KY – even when he was across the globe in Africa! Outside the ring, he took on another kind of battle: to stand up for his convictions and beliefs not to fight in the Vietnam War. The Ali Center is a testiment to both his inner and outer strengths!He will always be “The Greatest!”
Muhammad Ali is the ultimate representation of “possibility”. Who would have ever believed that a young athlete who grew up in poverty and could not even get served in certain restaurants would someday be the most recognized face on the entire planet? He is beloved around the world and it is perfectly appropriate that the “Louisville Lip” is a child of our own Possibility City!!
Muhammad Ali is the ultimate representation of “possibility”. Who would have ever dreamed that the young athlete who grew up in poverty and could not even get served in certain restaurants would someday be the most recognized face on the planet? It is perfectly appropriate the “Louisville Lip” is known around the world as a child of our own Possibility City.
Being born in 1960 in Pennsylvania, I grew up in the time Muhammad Ali and his legend in the making. I was always inspired by is perseverence to succeed yet still admired his humanitarian atributes. His tag line of ‘Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee”, stayed with me to this day. When I moved to the Louisville area and seen more and more of him and the things he has done I was even more impressed. The city itself as I see it, takes on the same personna as Ali. This is a city that does not give up, not on the people, the business, or it’s youth. We take risks that have given us so much and have made a diamond shining bright in the midwest out of our river town. We excell in Medicine, Education, and business. And our sting? Well when I listen to the visitors who come here I always hear I did not expect what I found here and your cityhas made an impression on me, I will be back. I’m proud to tell others “I am from Louisville!”
Just like Ali was, Louisville is a city that is unknown to a lot of people around the world. Once people were “stung by the bee” they could not get enough of Muhammad Ali and were fascinated with his accomplishments. After people visit Louisville, they’ll be “stung by the bee” and they will keep visiting to see what Louisville has to offer!
As a transplanted “Northener”, I can easily see that Muhammad Ali loves Louisville as much as this city loves him. I’ve never had a chance to meet him or hear him speak, but just by living here, I feel as though I have.
Like so many in our city, I grew up in the era when the “Louisville Lip,” as the sports media loved to call him, grew from the young man that was Cassius Clay to the game-changing man and iconic figure that is Muhammad Ali. His was the face of huge social change in our country, marked by his transformation from a tough kid with an incredible ability to alter the “Sweet Sport” of boxing, to using the fame that accompanied his sporting successes to become an accomplished spokesperson for his faith, for social justice and for the then-growing resistence to our country’s involvement in an indenfensible war in Vietnam. I was never more proud of him and to be from the same hometown as him as when he announced to the world that he had no grievance to pursue with the people of Vietnam, despite what that stance meant to his ability to perform as a boxer. Ali continues to be the best example of what one person can accomplish when they commit to being the change agent to the way things are, and to envision what can be. Louisville is a better community due to the work of Muhammad Ali and to the work of those who have been inspired by him and who continue to follow in his footsteps by working for social justice in our city, state and country. His is truly a story of overcoming obstacles, achieving greatness and reaching out to pull others along on the path of social committment and change. Because of him we are a better people. And Louisville will never be the same separate and unequal city again as a result of his leadership and courage. For that we can all be grateful, and perhaps can “float like a butterfly” as we each go about our daily lives.
I grew up in Louisville, and of course remember the young, cocky boxer named Cassius Clay. I guess I realized how much he’s associated with Louisville when I was studying in London in 1978 and would ask people I met if they knew much about Louisville….people would always respond that they knew Muhammad Ali was from Louisville. How cool is that? And then he married my old friend and classmate from Mercy Academy, Yolanda Williams, now known as Lonnie Ali. That just goes to show you that family friends from Louisville always stay close and return to their roots..
Muhammad Ali, our life long inspiration, & founder, “Louisville Nation!”
I remember Muhammad from his early beginning. I loved to watch him box; especially the way he was able to maneuver or dance with his feet to keep from getting hit or not hit nearly as hard as he was able to knock out his opponents. I liked his sense of humor and loved his poetry. That is artistry! I am an artist and would just love to have those same skills with my brush and palette — to lay that paint down on canvas or board what Muhammad Ali was able to do in the ring!
What a chance Muhammad Ali took during tumultous times in America.
Today’s athlete would rather earn “the big bucks” rather than risk fame and fortune for a political stance. Ali looked past the present and was thinking of the future. Ali was an example to everyone regardless of race, color, creed, or religion.
Muhammad Ali is the greatest! Nothing says it better than that.
While I was on the Board of the St. John’s Center for the Homeless in the mid-1990’s, I was able to arrange a visit by Muhammad Ali. Mr. Ali came in and spent time with those men who were at the Center that morning. It was such a thrill to see the overwhelming response that Ali gave to those men in need of an uplifting experience. Hugs, pictures, and autographs were plentiful. To this day,I will never forget the graciousness that Muhammad showed to every person at the St. John Center that day. It truly showed the Spirit of a great Louisvillian.
During an era when race was a source of ugly differences, prejudice and resentment, Ali made race completely irrelevant with his grace, skills and his infectious smile. The whole country seemed like a unit when it came to issues surrounding him. If we could re-live the history, we would truely appreciate his greatness. I am proud he was, is and will forever remain The SON of Louisville.
Muhammad Ali:
Man, Ubiquitous, Hero, Atlas, Magnificent, Munificent, Advocate, Devoted – All Louisville Included
Late in my life, my mother told me Cassius Clay was secretly her lover and my father. She didn’t realize he changed his name to Muhammad Ali so she never contacted him about me.
Since I never had the opportunity to meet the great man, winning the book would make me feel a whole lot better.
BTW, she did say he was “the greatest”.
The Ali Center represents everything positive in the world that many organizations wish to accomplish. One day an international peace conference will be held in Louisville at the Ali Center to match the global wish for peace and unity among all people, all nationa, all religions. That will happen in this century.
I have 2 distinct memories of Muhammad Ali. The first one I was a young teenage girl waiting at the corner to cross the street when Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) and his brother stopped their car, spoke to me and let me cross. How sweet. Another time was many years later I was working downtown when a limo stopped and Muhammad Ali and his wife got out of the car. Immediately a small crowd gathered. Mr. Ali did not say anything but very patiently he handed the people a pamphlet that he had autograped. He has such a quiet stillness and peace about him that you can feel his love and he is such a gentleman. Louisville and Ali just go together and he is recognized the world over.
I’m Kelly’s real mother.
Muhammed Ali represents every man! He is truly the greatest in many ways as he so often proclaimed. We are so fortunate that he has such strong Louisville roots.
Ali, You were the greatest. You were a pioneer in your time. You made the sport of boxing an everyday icon. Your witty limericks were recited by school children and teens daily as we all cheered on your wins and accomplishments. We were proud of you when you lit the torch at the Olympics. We love seeing you at various events around the world and even in our community of Louisville. (U of L football and basketball games). Louisville and the world loves you, Ali. You are a thrill-a in the Vill-a.
Growing up as a kid in India, we were exposed to stories of Muhammed Ali and some of his great boxing fights. The fact that our school curriculum had an entire chapter in our English syllabus speaks volumes of his achievements, and that we had to interpret his achievements, in many ways am thankful today for having been exposed to these at that young age. Being those vicarious and energetic kids that we were, Ali was a legend to us all, and we would emulate those boxing moves , his fists and more so the precise foot work , which was more like a ballet in the ring, which of course had those deadly endings, which we loved. It was an amazing chemistry of grace and power as we watched these on our small black & white TV’s and yet those moves, his expressions, his feet, his fierce words so indelibly ingrained in our grey cells and etched forever in our minds.
Coming into Louisville, from New Jersey, had my doubts about moving here, for it felt like I was moving from a bustling city to some remote village. Having landed here and later driving into downtown from the airport, happened to see the name Clay Street, immediately a questioned popped in my mind, could this be what I am thinking …..Cassius Clay….Muhammed Ali!!!!
My thoughts were confirmed the next day when I found out I was in the city where Muhammed Ali grew up and my joy knew no bounds and the alien fear that I came with suddenly melted and the curiosity got a better hold of me. I remember being on the phone that night calling all my family and friends back in India telling them I was in the city of “THE ALI”……
Muhammed Ali has always stood for that timely courage and sense of perseverance among those darkest of moments and elevating yourself to come out as being an ICON, to let folks know that no matter what circumstances we come from, and what life throws at us, there is still that inner sense which persists among every one of us to MAKE IT BIG, DREAM BIG, LIVE BIG!!!!!