RABBLE ROUSER: Muhammad Ali was remarkable
KEN FRANK
I can't believe how many times I have smiled and laughed while watching the retrospectives on the passing of Muhammad Ali.
In such a brutal sport, he was personality on steroids, Don Rickles with boxing gloves on. He was a masterful entertainer, and a poet with a sharp sense of humor. He would toy with opponents while planning their doom.
EDITORIAL: Muhammad Ali truly was 'The Greatest'
We always make too much of our heroes and celebrities, but he was unique above almost all of them. He carried his script in his head, not in his pocket. In every fight, you knew he was the smartest man in the ring.
His true worth and legacy will likely be muddled in today's toxic and narcissistic social media. Some things you need to see for yourself to truly know their impact. With amazing grace and inimitable style, and with no pronounced vulgarity, he defeated most of his opponents before he even met them.
Years ago, I had a totally-by-chance meet-and-greet with my favorite boxer of that time, Joe Frazier. After I shook his hand and walked away, I remember thinking about the hand I had just shaken. Not because it was the hand of Joe Frazier, though that was gratifying indeed, but rather, because it was the hand that had defeated Muhammad Ali.
What more respect could I have had for the man called "The Greatest?" We only keep company for a short time on this planet. In his day, Muhammad Ali made life a lot more fun. And he did it all with that ever-present gleam in his eye.
Boxing aside, he was quite a remarkable person. I still smile just thinking about his life, even after his death. That's a rare gift indeed.
The writer lives in Pitman.