Muhammed Ali

I just watched the documentary on MSNBC about Muhammed Ali and David Frost.  I've posted before about my meeting with Muhammed at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in the 1970s.

If you weren't able to watch this documentary, you should find a replay.  It masterfully displayed the incredible relationship between these two men.

In case you weren't a follower or subscriber, here's my earlier post about my encounter with Ali:

(Muhammad Ali was the most impressive individual I've ever met.

I've written about that a couple of times before but as my last post of “Black History Month" I thought I'd tell the whole story of that event in my insignificant life.

In the 1970s, I drove a taxi cab in Las Vegas.  I met many famous people during that time.  Some, like Jack Albertson, who had just suffered the loss of his costar on “Chico and the Man," (Freddie Prinze) impressed me with the seriousness of his conversation.  We sometimes judge people by the characters they play and overlook the human being playing that part.  No comedy, just a serious conversation about missing “that kid." 

Others, who I won't name here, were very drunk every time I talked to them.

Some so incoherent it was shocking.

I remember them for making me think “what is going on in your real life that makes you want to completely escape into alcoholism?"  Isn't fame and fortune enough?

I was, as everybody else in my generation, a HUGE" Righteous Brothers” fan.  Bill Medley was appearing at the Hilton when I picked up Bobby Hatfield and two friends after the show.  For some reason, things stick in my mind that aren't significant but they just occupy permanent spots in my memory.  Bobby said to one of his friends:  “see, I told you he's such a nice guy." 

I picked up Sugar Ray Leonard and his friends at Caesars Palace one night.

They took a cab across the street to The Flamingo.  After sitting on the stand for too long, it was disappointing to have such a short run.  He got out and one of his entourage paid the fare.

Ninety five cents at that time and he gave me a dollar.  A nickel tip!  We survived on tips.  I still hold that against Sugar Ray! 😊

Many other memories from that time included meetings with "famous“ folks but NONE impressed me as much as Muhammad Ali.

He and a large group came out of the Hilton and went to Caesars Palace.

We were limited to 5 passengers so they required 2 cabs.  Ali was in the other car.  I asked the other driver to get his autograph for me.  When we unloaded the passengers at Caesars, I asked if he'd gotten the autograph and he said no.

While sitting on the cab stand waiting for another fare, I noticed Ali coming out and sitting on the edge of the fountain.  I got out and walked toward him.  Two very large body guards got between us and he motioned with his hand and said:  "let him through." 

I explained that I wanted his autograph for my step kids.  He reached out for the paper and pen and generously signed twice.  Handing it back to me he shook my hand as I thanked him.

That handshake was when I realized something that I had never believed:

“There are SPECIAL, significant people in the world!”  People who are "destined” for fame.  I expected a very firm handshake.  To the contrary, his grasp was gentle.  He was one of those people!

I felt a sense of tranquility at that moment.  I often joke with others about the Catholic word:  "Epiphany,” but, for the first and only time in my life, I knew I was in the presence of one of those "special” people who have that gift of unending strength and courage.

Like Martin Luther King and John Lewis, two of my other heroes of the civil rights movement, he was destined to be HERE for that fight.

His courage and strength during the United States government's torturous treatment of him was, as the old saying goes,:  "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.”

King and Lewis were badly mistreated by the people who hated that movement.  But they survived and fought for JUSTICE for African Americans.  Standing against a system founded on racist policies required a special kind of courage in those times.

King's assassination in 1968 touched me in a way I didn't recognize at that time.  I've posted earlier about the plane ride from Singapore to Danang after R&R.  It was April 5, 1968 in that part of the world.  

Every seat on that World Airways airplane had a copy of the newspaper with the headline about King's assassination.

John Lewis fought until he died for the civil rights of his fellow African Americans.  Voting rights were his goal until he died!  His quote:  “Make GOOD Trouble," has NEVER been more appropriate.

WE, the decent, empathetic, patriotic, accepting Americans MUST "MAKE GOOD TROUBLE!”  It's up to US now, the average people, who weren't “destined" for greatness, to stand up against the EVIL of racism which infects the MAGAt CULT!

Fight!  speak truth to this power!  Write here on Substack and other places!  Expose their EVIL!  Their "Achilles heal" is TRUTH!  Their weakness is "EDUCATION!”  

Join me, one of the small, insignificant folks who have joined their battle for fairness and justice.  Alone, I am nothing!  But together, WE SHALL OVERCOME this evil!

I'm here every single day writing my words.  Spilling my soul into the cosmos for all who care to see.  And I'll do that, as I've said many times, “as long as I breathe!”

The Tangerine Traitor won't be around forever but we must fight until he's gone.  His oligarchs MUST be defeated!  We, as a country, are, like the great men mentioned here, destined for a "special purpose!”  America MUST remain as the " Shining Light” for the world!

WE can NEVER give up!  WE can NEVER surrender!  Be a part of the

"Force” that defeats this EVIL!  Make the History books tell OUR story as the heroes who defeated these monsters!

SLAVA Ukraine!  «Слава Україні!»

(Glory to Ukraine!)

And.,.

SLAVA these United States of America!)

I'll NEVER forget meeting Muhammed Ali.  It touched my soul in a way that no other encounter in my life has.

Muhammed Ali was indeed a special soul.  

To ALL my subscribers, I appreciate your support and loyalty more than you know.  My promise to write here EVERY day as long as I breathe isn't an easy thing but I will continue to do my small part to speak TRUTH to this ultimate EVIL.

Join me in this fight to MAAA!

#MakeAmericaAmericaAgain

I can't afford to travel and join ALL of these protests but I'll continue to use my words to expose this demonic administration's tragic, illegal, unconstitutional, immoral actions until they're punished and gone from our government.

Thanks again for allowing me to participate in this small way.

Please do whatever YOU can to stop these monsters from destroying this country I have served and loved for nearly 80 years.

Together, WE can defeat them.  Like the “300" at the Battle of Thermopylae (True Event: The Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC was a real event where a small Greek force, including 300 Spartans, held off a much larger Persian army for several days. )

Together, WE can form a barrier tall enough, wide enough and strong enough to hold back this tsunami of absolute EVIL which threatens to wash away our history.

Like the fearless warriors in Ukraine and the brave voters in Canada, NEVER give up!  FIGHT!  PROTEST!  RESIST!  Until the threat is gone.  VOTE!  Scream into the hurricane until our voices are so loud they overcome the noise of the horrible gusts.