He Is The Greatest -- sorry, GreaTEST

[filkertom]

Happy 65th Birthday to one of the only sports figures I revere, Muhammad Ali.

I notice, however, that the Wikipedia article I link to doesn't have three details: It still lists him as living in Berrien Springs, MI, when he has moved to Scottsdale, AZ; it has no reference to Neal Adams' tabloid comic Superman vs. Muhammad Ali (good interview with Neal Adams about it here); and it doesn't mention Ali's -- well, really Cassius Clay's -- 1963 comedy album, I Am The Greatest. Hm. Maybe I should go fix that....

Comments

[rook543.livejournal.com]

Truly the GREATEST! There are no boxers like him anymore...

[shsilver.livejournal.com]

Years and years ago, shortly after he lost to Leon Spinks, I met Ali while attending a performance of "The Wiz" at Chicago's Schubert Theatre.

Caught a radio station playing Johnny Wakelin and the Kinasha Band's "Black Superman (Muhammed Ali)" the other day.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Still in the cultural canon. In Cars: "Float like a Cadillac, sting like a Beemer."

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

OHhhh, gosh. I had that comic book once upon a time. In a place where Superman had no special powers, he actually had to learn to FIGHT rather than just clobber things with superior strength. Well, there's no better teacher is there?

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

Watching the Ali Raps docu recently, the thing that ended up striking me most was the footage of this exceptionally bright, articulate, quick-witted young man just embarking on a career that would inevitably involve repeated blows to the head. I had never seen any of it, and it made me sad for the loss of that youthful spark. And all the more impressed at the undeniable force of nature he remained -- and remains -- without it.

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

The photo of Ali standfing over Sonny Liston remains, in my opinion the single greatest sports photograph ever taken. The sheer power, triumph, and emotion in Ali's stance speak volumes.