Ali Passing Brings Back Memories of My Dad

Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Ken., and, after passing June 3 from complications from Parkinson's at age 74, will be laid to rest in his hometown on Friday, June 10, after a public memorial service.

My first thoughts upon learning the news were about my dad, even though my older brother shares a birthday with Ali, January 17.

You see while growing up in Spring Valley, Minn., in the tumultuous '60s and wild '70s, I had interesting verbal sparring sessions with my dad about Ali's refusal to join the military. Keep in mind my dad was a veteran of World War II.

Any hint of a son of his having positive feelings about a man refusing to fight for his country did not go over very well. I admired Ali for standing up for his principles, sort of.

I mean, I have to say I have never understood how a man can say he is a conscientious objector on the basis of his nonviolent Muslim faith and step in the ring and pound on somebody.

My dad did admit Ali was a terrific boxer, and I remember watching Ali with him during fights against Joe Frazier and George Foreman in particular.

The man who could, in his words, "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. Your hands can't hit what your eyes can't see." (Ali's rhyme before the 1974 George Foreman fight) had incredible footwork and was powerful to boot.

Ali had to know his refusal to answer the call by the draft board could end his boxing career and potentially end his popularity in a country torn by the Vietnam conflict, as it was called at the time.

In April 1967 when he was arrested for draft evasion he said, "No I'm not going 10,000 miles from home to help murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave masters of the darker people the world over. I have said once and will say it again. The real enemy of my people is right here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom and equality."

"If I thought the war was going to bring justice and equality to 22 million of my people then they wouldn't have to draft me, I'd join tomorrow," Ali said. "But I either have to obey the laws of the land or the laws of Allah."

On June 20, 1967, Ali was convicted of draft evasion and fined $10,000, sentenced to five years in prison, stripped of his boxing title and licenses. He said after the conviction, "I ain't got no trouble with them Viet Cong. It ain't right, they never called me n------."

June 28, 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Ali's conviction.

That didn't go over very well with my dad, although I do remember him conceding that at least Ali was willing to take the punishment and didn't just, "go to Canada like many draft dodgers."

Again I told dad he should admire Ali for his religious convictions. After all one of the 10 commandments is pretty clear, "Thou shall not kill."

My dad was a very religious man. A devoted Lutheran. Much more religious than I will ever be.

He didn't reveal much about his service in the war, but I remember his response to my comment was, "No good soldier wants to kill. It's kill or be killed in war and nobody wants to go to war. You go because your country needs you to and you owe that service to your country for living in a free and prosperous land." Yet dad did agree with the religious confliction and said he also "struggled with it" when he served.

Ali is still the only boxer to win the heavyweight title three times.

• In 1964 against Sonny Liston (a fight where he was a 7-1 underdog) and afterward announced he was joining the Nation of Islam and changing his name to Muhammad Ali.
• In 1974 against Joe Frazier.
• In 1978 against George Foreman.

Ali announced his retirement in 1979 but did come back before finally leaving the ring in 1981.

Muhammad Ali and Cassius Clay Jr.'s professional record was 56-5 with 37 knockouts. Indeed, he probably was the greatest boxer of all time and boxing has not and never will be the same since his departure from the sport.

The accomplishments continued after his boxing career ended.

Who will forget the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron by Ali in Atlanta in 1996 with the signs of his Parkinson's clearly visible? He had won Olympic gold in 1960 in Rome, Italy and  was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1984.

My dad and I watched the Atlanta event together.

I recall at the time the individual chosen for the honor had not been announced and we were guessing who the person would be. Indeed it was Muhammad Ali and it even brought a small smile to my dad's face. I remember that like it was yesterday.

It reminds me of one of the greatest Muhammad Ali quotes I think he had. There were many. This one came during an interview for Playboy magazine in 1975: "The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life."

My dad was 79 and had changed his views about a lot of things. I was blessed he shared those with me. I have no sons or daughters to share my changing thoughts with.

Here are a few Muhammad Ali quotes that are my favorites. I keep a listing of quotes myself and have a number of books of quotations.

• "Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain.  It's not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything."
• "It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out. It's the pebble in your shoe."
• "Live every day as if it were your last because someday you're going to be right."
• "If my mind can conceive it and my heart believe it then I can achieve it."
• "The will must be stronger than the skill."

Some of my favorite Ali lines related to his boxing abilities:

• "I'm so bad I make medicine sick."
• "I'm so fast I can run through a hurricane and don't get wet."
• "If you even dream of beating me you better wake up and apologize."
• "I should be a postage stamp. That's the only way I'll ever get licked."

Muhammad Ali was on the cover of 27 issues of Sports Illustrated magazine. That is second only to Michael Jordan, who had 50.

Remember the Vietnam Memorial replica is coming to Faribault August 31 to September 5 and will be located on the Rice County Fairgrounds.

It will be available for viewing 24 hours a day and there will be no admission to see it and no charge for parking.

Muhammad Ali said he'd like to be remembered by this recipe for life he wrote. "I'd like for them to say he took a few cups of love. He took one tablespoon of patience, one teaspoon of generosity, one pint of kindness. He took one quart of laughter, one pinch of concern and then he mixed willingness with the happiness. He added lots of faith, and he stirred it up well. Then he spread it over a span of a lifetime and he served it to each and every person he met."

I have said in recent years that I believe God's greatest gifts to us are our memories.

Thanks for the memories Muhammad Ali that my Dad and I got to share because of your athletic ability, political courage and cultural sensibility.