BACK IN TIME…
Muhammad Ali was refused service at a small dinner party because of his race. He was so infuriarated that he had walked out of the dinner and thrown his medal (which he wore all the time) off a bridge into Ohio River.
Cassius Macellus Clay, whose birth went unnoticed to the vast majority of Louisville’s 300,000 residents on January 17 1942, but the environment that greeted his arrival moulded the character that would grow into Muhammad Ali.
“In boxing an Olympic champion is as good as number 10 ranked pro,” 18-year old Muhammad Ali’s mentor informed him. “Win a gold medal in Rome and your earning capacity will be off to a good start. And think of the worldwide publicity you will receive.” That was all Clay needed to hear and he was selected for the Olympic trials which was held in San Francisco. Went on fighting, and was then selected for the 1960 Games.
And, this 18-year old kid was in Rome. Within just few days everyone in the Olympic village was aware of the brash, but eloquent and charming, teenager from Louisville. He told them all he was going to win the gold medal.
Clay did exactly what he said, eased past all-comers one by one. And the kid was all set to witness one of the greatest moment in life, which the world will be entering Olympics record book.
September 5, final, and there it was, Cassius Macellus Clay beat Poland’s Zbiegniew Pietrzykowski and claim the top prize. He stood proudly on the podium, his black muscled frame shimmering above the three white men wearing inferior medals below him. That gold was the first symbol of breaking away from his roots. Cassius Clay was on his way.
The following morning, world heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson visited his hotel. Clay thanked him for coming, and was honoured by his presence. While Floyd remained typically modest and quiet, Clay became increasingly noisy and excited.
“Look after that heavyweight title,” he said to Patterson. “Keep it warm for me in the next two years when I will be ready to take it off you.” It took him a little longer than that. Four years later, Clay was king of the world.
On his return to the US, Clay was refused service at a small dinner party because of his race. He was so infuriarated that he had walked out of the dinner and thrown his medal (which he wore all the time) off a bridge into the Ohio River. The hurt boxer said he did not want to wear a medal in a country where he couldn’t be served.
Well, it will be interesting to see if the Olympic organisers think of dedicating a medal to Ali’s name from this edition onward to commemorate the champion sportsperson.
