"The Greatest" is still with us! Happy 67th, Ali!

[prime]

Reggie Jackson: "Ali is the King of Athletes and everyone joyously gives him that. You could sit Ali down with Jim Brown, Bill Russell, Wayne Gretzky, Jack Nicklaus, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Willie Mays, all the greats. There are guys who were, and in some cases still are, as great in their field of endeavor as Ali was in his. But for all of them, Ali would be King. He was bigger than boxing; he was bigger than sports. When people call Muhammad Ali 'the greatest', they know what they're talking about."

Hank Aaron: "I was born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1934. I came up with the Braves when I was twenty, and coming from Mobile, I was very shy. I wasn't satisfied with the ways things were, but I felt like I had to do something special in baseball in order to get people to listen to me. By the time Ali came along, things were a little different but not that much. My first awareness of him was when he won the gold medal, and I saw greatness stamped all over him. How great, I didn't know, but I was impressed by his ability and his confidence.

Being a gifted athlete, being one of the best in the world at what you do, is a great feeling. But sometimes it's kind of eerie, because you wonder why you're blessed with so much ability. I'd go up to the plate to face a pitcher, and I'd know that before the night was over I was going to hit one out of the ballpark. I felt that, and I'm sure Ali felt the same way. That no matter who he got in the ring with, he was better and he'd figure them out. He had all kinds of confidence, and I was the same way.

I don't think there'll ever be another fighter like Muhammad Ali. I'm not putting anybody else down. Maybe someone could have beaten Ali in his prime, but I'm not concerned about that. There's just no one who could possibly be as beautiful in the ring as he was. For a guy to be that big and move the way he did; it was like music, poetry, no question about it. And for what he did outside the ring, Ali will always be remembered. When you start talking about sports, when you start talking about history; you can't do it unless you mention Ali. Children in this country should be taught forever how he stood by his convictions and lived his life. He's someone that black people, white people, people all across the country whatever their color, can be proud of. I know, I'm glad I had the opportunity to live in his time and bear witness to what he accomplished. God gave Ali the gift, and Ali used it right."

:party

[flamengo]

very nice.

[True Writer]

I think he's coming back.... seriously he still has fast hands if a little uncoordinated.

[JohnThomas1]

Cheers to Ali!

[newbridgeboxing]

67 and still the greatest

[OuterDrake]

HBD Greatest


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[True Writer]

67 and still the greatest


I'd pick Vitali over him Ali's legs aren't what they used to be.

[OuterDrake]

I'd pick Vitali over him Ali's legs aren't what they used to be.

Unless your referring to a kick boxing bout lol(Vatali has some of those):yep

[True Writer]

The "Ali Shuffle" is now Ali's only way of getting around.

[Bokaj]

There was a whole afternoon dedicated to him on ESPN Classics yesterday.

[groove]

Thanks. Happy Birthday to the Greatest Champ!

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[Bill1234]

There was a whole afternoon dedicated to him on ESPN Classics yesterday.

They do that a lot. But anyway, happy 67th Ali.

[Bill Butcher]

Happy birthday to......
Ali
Al Capone
Jim Carey
My son (who turned 4)
Barrera (can you believe this ?) :-(

Even if Im a day late, haha.

[Smokin']

Happy B-day

[GPater11093]

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a breif picture of his life

[Chinxkid]

Great thread and tribute, great OP Prime. Agree with everything you said. For those of us who came of age during the Ali Time, there is no question that he was unique in the ring and in his life. He was/is a stand-up guy with courage of his convictions. Beatable of course, the Greatest Heavyweight of all time, debatable, a character incapable of missteps, not no, but hell no! But who is?

I was barely old enough to know anything about anything when he came onto the scene like a burst of sunshine, a figure in bold brave color in a drab, black and white world. But I knew about him. I knew he had a big mouth, or so it was said. Was cocky and verbose, a braggart and a jester, in a sport that worshiped the humility of Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano. I'd heard that he was outrageous, a black man with the audacity to not know his place, to stand as tall and proud and defiant as any white man and not only that, but he actually believed, or so he said repeatedly, that he would better the singularly dangerous Sonny Liston... not once but twice!

As we grew up in those days, the Hippie days, the Civil Rights days, the Woodstock days, with an appointment in Southeast Asia waiting for us,we filed into one group or the other: those that saw this new way of thinking as an overdue dawning, and those who saw it as a travesty of a sham. Ali, as much as anybody represented the former, and for those of us who knew in our every fiber that it was truth and not con, risky and courageous not a path of less resistance, Ali was an example of supreme self-sacrifice, a guy who restored your faith. I was thankful then and I'm thankful now. We are tempted to mourn him, he is all but lost to us. But how surprised would any of us be to find out that under that oblique mask is the same sharp mind as ever. Weathered and wise, silent, not by necessity but by choice, could be Ali said all there was to say, all anybody should have to say in a lifetime...

Happy Birthday Muhummad. Thanks.

[mcvey]

Reggie Jackson: "Ali is the King of Athletes and everyone joyously gives him that. You could sit Ali down with Jim Brown, Bill Russell, Wayne Gretzky, Jack Nicklaus, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Willie Mays, all the greats. There are guys who were, and in some cases still are, as great in their field of endeavor as Ali was in his. But for all of them, Ali would be King. He was bigger than boxing; he was bigger than sports. When people call Muhammad Ali 'the greatest', they know what they're talking about."

Hank Aaron: "I was born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1934. I came up with the Braves when I was twenty, and coming from Mobile, I was very shy. I wasn't satisfied with the ways things were, but I felt like I had to do something special in baseball in order to get people to listen to me. By the time Ali came along, things were a little different but not that much. My first awareness of him was when he won the gold medal, and I saw greatness stamped all over him. How great, I didn't know, but I was impressed by his ability and his confidence.

Being a gifted athlete, being one of the best in the world at what you do, is a great feeling. But sometimes it's kind of eerie, because you wonder why you're blessed with so much ability. I'd go up to the plate to face a pitcher, and I'd know that before the night was over I was going to hit one out of the ballpark. I felt that, and I'm sure Ali felt the same way. That no matter who he got in the ring with, he was better and he'd figure them out. He had all kinds of confidence, and I was the same way.

I don't think there'll ever be another fighter like Muhammad Ali. I'm not putting anybody else down. Maybe someone could have beaten Ali in his prime, but I'm not concerned about that. There's just no one who could possibly be as beautiful in the ring as he was. For a guy to be that big and move the way he did; it was like music, poetry, no question about it. And for what he did outside the ring, Ali will always be remembered. When you start talking about sports, when you start talking about history; you can't do it unless you mention Ali. Children in this country should be taught forever how he stood by his convictions and lived his life. He's someone that black people, white people, people all across the country whatever their color, can be proud of. I know, I'm glad I had the opportunity to live in his time and bear witness to what he accomplished. God gave Ali the gift, and Ali used it right."

:party`
About 35 years ago ,I hitch hiked around quite a bit of the world. I came across Ali's photo in ramshackle tin houses ,in countries like Algeria,Tunisia,Morrocco,out of the way goat farms in the Atlas Mountains,all kinds of places. I never saw a picture of any of the other Sportsman mentioned here.Ali went beyond Sports,and made it possible for those who followed ,like Leonard and ODH, to make the big bucks.
Calling Ali a legend is one instance where you can't be accused of hyperbole.imo.

[The Predator]

yes. Happy birthday Mr Ali. You have inspired millions and I´m one of them, your fights and strong believe in your self has inspired me so much in this sport.
There will never come another boxer like you again.
The Predator

[salsanchezfan]

................Happy birthday to the greatest heavyweight ever, at least as I see it. The greatest on so many levels.

I too tire of the constant barrage of hyperbole we read and hear on the man, but it's done for a reason; he was bigger than his sport; hell, he was bigger than sports. His impact was THAT large. The single biggest sports figure in history, bar none, and he had the mettle to back up that lofty title. He brought the sport we all love into the mainstream and introduced it to legions of people who otherwise would not have noticed the squared circle at all.

Here's to a good many more birthdays for him. He truly earned his place in the sun.

[prime]

Beautiful words, guys.

Every child wants to grow up to do great things, be a hero and live a cracking life. A child yet abides in every one of us.

And that child smiles when it sees Ali.

Everything about him seemed tailor-made perfect for inspiration. The looks, height and dimensions; the voice; like the improbably gorgeous blend of green pastures and blue sky, the breathtaking tan figure in white shoes and trunks, flashing around the ring amidst a flurry of Everlast red; the supreme self-confidence; the sheer ability to kick butt facing nightmares and dragons; the simple courage of your convictions on the worldwide stage; and, back of it all, that child, grinning wide-eyed, just waiting to jump out at you in a white sheet.

Yes, birds fly, waves pound the sand. Young Cassius became Muhammad Ali.

[heehoo]

Happy B-Day Ali.