Muhammad+Ali

by Macire Grade 6

Muhammad Ali is an amazing person. Muhammad won many awards and did many good things. He also stood for Black power. Muhammad Ali was born on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky. His parents’ names were Cassius and Odessa Clay. The name he was born with was Cassius Clay, Jr. When Cassius was twelve, Joe Martin, a white policeman, trained young boxers. Cassius was trained by Joe Martin at the Columbia gym in Louisville. Cassius took up that sport because in those days boxing was one of the few chances African Americans had for success. One day at the gym Cassius met a trainer named Fred Stoner. Fred Stoner taught Cassius the art of boxing and the skill of moving lightly and quickly.

Cassius won an Olympic gold medal and became a professional boxer when he was eighteen. Before the fight in 1964 with Sonny Liston that would make Cassius the World Heavyweight Champion, Cassius became inspired by Malcolm X and converted to the Muslim religion. He changed his name to Muhammad Ali. When Muhammad Ali fought Sonny Liston again, he kept his title.

In 1967 Muhammad Ali refused to fight in the Vietnam War because of his Muslim beliefs. Muhammad got stripped of his title and sentenced to five years of prison for refusing to fight. But he was released, and his sentence was reversed.

During the late 1970’s Muhammad got slower but his doctors weren’t sure what his problem was. After Muhammad retired it was discovered that he had Parkinson’s Syndrome. Parkinson’s Syndrome is a brain disease that causes muscle tremors. His doctors believe it was caused by the many hits to the head.

Muhammad Ali proved to be an amazing person. It took courage to refuse to fight in Vietnam. It took strength to win all those awards. Muhammad Ali, the shy twelve-year-old, turned into The Greatest!


 * Some images from Ali's youth**
 * = [[image:muham2 width="279" height="244" link="@http://caveofknowledge.com/on-this-day/ali-vs-liston/"]][[image:ko.jpg width="279" height="208"]] ||= [[image:muham.jpg width="259" height="231" link="@http://www.williammalcolmcollection.com/blog/?p=546"]][[image:muhammad_olympics.jpg width="285" height="205"]] || [[image:ali-and-malcolm-x.jpg]] ||

Image Sources: http://ontheapplebox.com/main/?p=299 http://wgisports.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/i-am-still-the-greatest/ http://www.williammalcolmcollection.com/blog/?p=546 http://caveofknowledge.com/on-this-day/ali-vs-liston/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/boxing/6263079.stm http://blog-aroundharlem.com/2008/08/11/muhammad-ali-made-in-miami-pbs-premiere-tonight/