{"id":143948,"date":"2024-01-17T08:57:42","date_gmt":"2024-01-17T13:57:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=143948"},"modified":"2024-01-16T11:06:54","modified_gmt":"2024-01-16T16:06:54","slug":"happy-birthday-muhammad-ali","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=143948","title":{"rendered":"Happy Birthday, Muhammad Ali"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><big>\u201cI\u2019ve wrestled with alligators. I\u2019ve tussled with a whale.<br \/>\nI done handcuffed lightning and thrown thunder in jail.<br \/>\nYou know I\u2019m bad. Just last week, I murdered a rock,<br \/>\ninjured a stone, hospitalized a brick.<br \/>\nI\u2019m so mean, I make medicine sick.\u201d<br \/>\n&#8212; <i>Muhammad Ali<\/i> <\/big><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-117767\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/CkFae_3WYAANYE1.jpg\" alt=\"CkFae_3WYAANYE1\" width=\"1185\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/CkFae_3WYAANYE1.jpg 1185w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/CkFae_3WYAANYE1-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/CkFae_3WYAANYE1-198x200.jpg 198w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/CkFae_3WYAANYE1-768x778.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/CkFae_3WYAANYE1-395x400.jpg 395w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1185px) 100vw, 1185px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Muhammad Ali celebrating victory over Cleveland Williams, 1966. Photo: Neil Leifer. Voted the best sports photo ever taken in 2003.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-117765\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/13344718_10153689392797817_2528397002485953386_n.jpg\" alt=\"13344718_10153689392797817_2528397002485953386_n\" width=\"900\" height=\"574\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/13344718_10153689392797817_2528397002485953386_n.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/13344718_10153689392797817_2528397002485953386_n-100x64.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/13344718_10153689392797817_2528397002485953386_n-200x128.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/13344718_10153689392797817_2528397002485953386_n-768x490.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/13344718_10153689392797817_2528397002485953386_n-400x255.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I wrote a piece about this legendary figure when he died, as part of a group tribute over on Ebert: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/balder-and-dash\/always-the-greatest-remembering-muhammad-ali\" target=\"blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Always The Greatest: Remembering Muhammad Ali<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In it, I discuss this clip. I can&#8217;t get enough of it. It captures palpable happiness and affection, the two of them together create an energy field of charm and humor and accord.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/R8OyD8QdvSU\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>In the meantime: Because of course:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-165220\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2151.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2151.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2151-200x150.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2151-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2151-100x75.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><br \/>\n<i>Elvis and Ali<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Over the years, Ali spoke often about Elvis. In an interview once, he said he listened to Elvis&#8217; music as a kid, and said that the first thing he did when he had a little bit of cash was buy his mother \u201ca pink Cadillac, just like Elvis did.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fans of each other, they didn\u2019t meet until 1973. Elvis gave Ali a custom-made jeweled robe. Ali is wearing it in the picture above. It looks like one of Elvis&#8217; jumpsuits! He wore it in the ring on occasion:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-165221\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2160.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"334\" height=\"489\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2160.jpg 334w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2160-137x200.jpg 137w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2160-273x400.jpg 273w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2160-68x100.jpg 68w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 334px) 100vw, 334px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>On the back were the bedazzled words \u201cPEOPLE\u2019S CHOICE\u201d. (The robe is now on display at the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville.) At the same meeting, Ali gave Elvis boxing gloves on which he had written: \u201cElvis, You are the Greatest. From Muhammad Ali. Peace 1973\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-165222\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2158-e1610910484902.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"566\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In 1985, Ali attended Elvis Week in Memphis and gave a warm affectionate speech to the crowd about his friend.<\/p>\n<p>Moving on!<\/p>\n<p>I found <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-europe-36452554\" target=\"blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this article<\/a>, about the tributes paid to Muhammad Ali in Ennis, Ireland, his ancestral town, extremely moving.<\/p>\n<p>Juan Felipe Herrera, United States poet laureate, paid tribute to Muhammad Ali when he died with a poem: &#8220;You Can&#8217;t Put Muhammad Ali in a Poem.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>You Can&#8217;t Put Muhammad Ali in a Poem<\/h2>\n<p>If you did \u2014<br \/>\nit would<br \/>\nknock you down (remember Liston) &amp;<br \/>\nif<br \/>\nyou were<br \/>\nstill stand<br \/>\ning you would<br \/>\nhave to<br \/>\nbust out (remember the March on Washington)<br \/>\nof your shakin\u2019 vaulted<br \/>\npoor thinkin\u2019 self (oh yes!)<br \/>\n&amp; change (that\u2019s right!)<br \/>\nthis big \u2018ol world (say it!)<br \/>\n&amp; if you did \u2014 You (yes, you)<br \/>\nwould have to battle w\/words &amp; rhymes &amp; body &amp; time \u2014 for<br \/>\nyour New Idea \u2014 (did you hear that ) you would<br \/>\nhave to<br \/>\nendure (i hear you ) &amp; propose (what?)<br \/>\na new name for all<br \/>\n( a new name?)<br \/>\nit could be Peace<br \/>\nit could be Unity (sounds easy)<br \/>\nbut this poem cannot<br \/>\nprovide this<br \/>\nor contain this<br \/>\nWord \u2014 (Watch out!)<br \/>\nhere it comes! &amp;<br \/>\nit\u2019s gonna to sting like a bee<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/giphy-3.gif\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-144511\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/giphy-3.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"277\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><p>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\n<small><em>Thank you so much for stopping by. If you like what I do, and if you feel inclined to support my work, here&#8217;s a link to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.venmo.com\/u\/Sheila-OMalley-3\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">my Venmo account<\/a>. And I&#8217;ve launched a Substack, <a href=\"https:\/\/sheilaomalley.substack.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sheila Variations 2.0<\/a>, if you&#8217;d like to subscribe.<\/em> <\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cI\u2019ve wrestled with alligators. I\u2019ve tussled with a whale. I done handcuffed lightning and thrown thunder in jail. You know I\u2019m bad. Just last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick. I\u2019m so mean, I make &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=143948\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[39],"tags":[2095],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143948"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=143948"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143948\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":184758,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143948\/revisions\/184758"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=143948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=143948"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=143948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}