Muhammad Ali, boxer and humanitarian, dies at 74

[thelakelander]

RIP...

Muhammad Ali, the Louisville-born boxing champion who inspired love and hate — and finally became a global symbol of peace and reconciliation — died Friday following respiratory complications at a hospital not far from his Arizona home. He was 74.

Ali's battle with Parkinson's disease since the 1980s caused increasing difficulty with movement and speech but it did little to diminish a towering legacy.

In Louisville, Mayor Greg Fischer ordered flags at all city government buildings to be lowered to half-staff Saturday and remain so until he was laid to rest.

Full article: http://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/boxing/muhammad-ali/2025/01/01/muhammad-ali-greatest-fighter-boxer-humanitarian-louisville-world/19190613/

[TimmyB]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsDHi-vJCYs

A memory from my early years!

[mtraininjax]

Man was larger than his self-proclaimed title "I am the greatest", imagine what social media would have been like in his era. Rest in peace "Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee".

[spuwho]

I had the opportunity to meet him, his wife and daughter Tatyana when they were seated next to me at a greek restaurant in Chicago.

He was gracious to everyone who walked by to express themselves and I spoke with him just briefly before I left.

Definitely not the guy you see in the ring, he was very humble,  spoke softly and was very polite.

Another American icon has departed us.

[TimmyB]

I had the opportunity to meet him, his wife and daughter Tatyana when they were seated next to me at a greek restaurant in Chicago.

He was gracious to everyone who walked by to express themselves and I spoke with him just briefly before I left.

Definitely not the guy you see in the ring, he was very humble,  spoke softly and was very polite.

Another American icon has departed us.

He lived just about an hour down the road from me, and though I knew of many people who had these encounters with him, (sadly) I never did.     I was too young to truly appreciate his greatness until he had already passed that stage of his life.

[spuwho]

I had the opportunity to meet him, his wife and daughter Tatyana when they were seated next to me at a greek restaurant in Chicago.

He was gracious to everyone who walked by to express themselves and I spoke with him just briefly before I left.

Definitely not the guy you see in the ring, he was very humble,  spoke softly and was very polite.

Another American icon has departed us.

He lived just about an hour down the road from me, and though I knew of many people who had these encounters with him, (sadly) I never did.     I was too young to truly appreciate his greatness until he had already passed that stage of his life.

TimmyB, did you live near Berrian Springs, MI?

[TimmyB]

I had the opportunity to meet him, his wife and daughter Tatyana when they were seated next to me at a greek restaurant in Chicago.

He was gracious to everyone who walked by to express themselves and I spoke with him just briefly before I left.

Definitely not the guy you see in the ring, he was very humble,  spoke softly and was very polite.

Another American icon has departed us.

He lived just about an hour down the road from me, and though I knew of many people who had these encounters with him, (sadly) I never did.     I was too young to truly appreciate his greatness until he had already passed that stage of his life.

TimmyB, did you live near Berrian Springs, MI?

I've been in the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek area since about 1982 (originally from GR).  You from that area, as well?

[spuwho]

I had the opportunity to meet him, his wife and daughter Tatyana when they were seated next to me at a greek restaurant in Chicago.

He was gracious to everyone who walked by to express themselves and I spoke with him just briefly before I left.

Definitely not the guy you see in the ring, he was very humble,  spoke softly and was very polite.

Another American icon has departed us.

He lived just about an hour down the road from me, and though I knew of many people who had these encounters with him, (sadly) I never did.     I was too young to truly appreciate his greatness until he had already passed that stage of his life.

TimmyB, did you live near Berrian Springs, MI?

I've been in the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek area since about 1982 (originally from GR).  You from that area, as well?

I was in the Chicago area, but used to drive over to Sturgis and Battle Creek or the Michigan Dunes all the time.

Here is Ali, at a moments notice, went up a building to stop a man from jumping to his suicide death.

https://www.youtube.com/v/SV75aFzC1aQ

[TimmyB]

Wow, what a cool video.  I had completely forgotten about that episode in his life!

On the other topic, why would anyone come to BC???   

[fsquid]

the greatest