Throughout my life my biggest heroes have all been sports people; David Hemery, Brendan Foster, Steve Ovett, Alan Minter, Paula Radcliffe, Chris Froome, Bradley Wiggins, Teofilio Stevenson, Jimmy Connors, Henry Cooper, Miguel Indurain, Abebe Bikila, Kip Keino and many, many more including of course, Muhammed Ali. As a kid, some of earliest memories are of sporting occasions and sporting achievements and Ali was as much a part of my childhood as my school teachers.
I was born in 1960, the year 18 year old Cassius Clay won Gold at the Rome Olympics. By the time I was 5 or 6 I was fully aware of Cassius Clay, his outlandish talent and the audacity of his victory over Sonny Liston in 1964. But even then I was aware that this was a man whose talents had already transcended the sporting arena. As a 7 year old I remember being spellbound with anticipation at the upcoming Mexico Olympics during the summer of 1968. My father had given me a book on the history of the Olympic Games and I read enraptured about the heroes of bygone days; Fanny Blankers-Koen, Emile Zatopek, Jonny Weissmuller, Lord Burghley, Bob Hayes, Paavo Nurmi, Dorando Pietri among many more, including Jesse Owens and Cassius Clay.
And it whilst reading this book that I first became aware that sports can sometimes become intertwined with politics. It was the story of Jesse Owens at the Berlin Games of 1936 that brought this fact to light for me. Maybe I didn't grasp all the political intricacies of Jesse Owens achievements, but I do recall becoming aware, perhaps for the first time, that there was political mileage to be had out of the colour of ones skin as well as the depth of one's talents and achievements.
In that book (which sadly fell apart due to overuse) I recall a picture of a young Cassius along with a brief description of the man's victory in Rome. Up until that point I had considered that the Olympics was the pinnacle of world sport (which indeed it was, still is for many) and so I began to understand that in some sporting arenas there was something more, something higher than the Olympics; my introduction to the difference between amateur and professional sport.
Again, as a kid I didn't quite understand the significance when Clay changed his name to Muhammed Ali. Civil rights, Malcolm X, Elijah Muhammad and slave names were a long way from my understanding, but looking back the fact that I was even aware of the names, the concepts and the philosophy behind his name change were probably landmarks in my social understanding and education. The same could also be said of Ali's refusal to be inducted into the draft in 1967.
The Vietnam War was impossible to escape during the late 60's, early 70's. The news, when I was allowed to see it, was awash with images of War that I didn't understand, of the mass protests in the US and the controversy it all wrought. And into this powderkeg stepped Ali, a conscientious objector; a fighter who didn't want to fight! I'm sure his decision then had more than a lasting influence on my young thinking. Here was a man who was plainly not a coward, and was saying that he didn't want to kill anyone who'd done him no personal harm. 'It was wrong,' he had said. The message rung a bell in my head that resonates still.
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| On the Left Ali-Frazier 1; on right with legendary sports writer Howard Cosell (left) and basketball star Wilt Chamberlain (right) |
Much later he told reporters, "I never thought of myself as great when I refused to go into the army. All I did was stand up for what I believed." Strong words that affected my thinking and without knowing it at the time, probably influenced my unconscious decision to become a combative pacifist; combative in sport, in life, but not in person, just like Ali.
When, years later, he returned to the ring, I remember watching his fights live on TV. Often they were in the early hours, and my parents would wake me up to watch him trounce fighter after fighter, all in (not so) vivid black and white. In those days he was by far the biggest star in the world, the most recognisable face, the most famous name and all his fights were screened live. Of course it's the big fights that stand out; the three Frazier fights including the Thriller in Manila and the biggest one of them all, the Rumble in the Jungle against the fearsome George Foreman. But sandwiched in between there were other fights (not all of which he won) that linger in my memory still; the Ken Norton fights, Joe Bugner, Trevor Berbick, Duane Bobick, Ernie Shavers, Jerry Quarry, and then later fights against Larry Holmes and (lesser?) champions such as Leon Spinks, Tony Tubbs & Tony Tucker.
But Ali was much more than a fighter, he was the world's first global sports star and his personality was every bit as big as his best punch. The interviews on British TV with Michael Parkinson are legendary as were his famed predictions, often put to verse, before his fights! Everything about Ali was larger than life and he spawned many books, many stories (some true, some probably not) and probably more news print pages than any sports star ever. The definitive biography of Ali is thought to be that of Thomas Hauser and it is indeed a thoroughly entertaining read. And if that is the definitive book, then without doubt the definitive film is Taylor Hackford's Oscar winning documentary 'When we were Kings,' about the background to the greatest fight of all time, the Rumble in the Jungle. But for another perspective, one that shows a different, much darker side of Ali's personality try Ghosts of Manila by Mark Kram.
For me Ali is an icon and his passing leaves a hole in my life. He's been as ever present as any family member and I've lived his pleasures and agonies as much as any fan can. In the latter years of his life I have actively avoided stories about his decline, preferring to remember him as he was; larger than life, full of wit and charm, an inspiration on so many levels to so many people.
You will be sadly missed. RIP Muhammad Ali
Sources mentioned:
Ghost of Manila: The fateful Blood feud between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, by Mark Kram
Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times, by Thomas Hauser
When we were Kings, documentary by Taylor Hackford
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