Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 16, 1979)
Paga 10 Portland Observer Thursday. August 16. 1979 The Making of a Champion SPORTS HOUR JO E ’S PLACE by Ullysses Tucker, Jr. W ill boxing be the same now that the "Greatest” has retired? Gaining 40 pounds since he an nounced his retirement, Muhammad A ll has finally pulled the piug on a sport that he saved when it was on its deathbed His leaving the ring will have the same impact as the January ice storm in Portland. A li was born in Louisville, Ken tucky, 37 years ago, to a painter who had two sons. O riginally, he was christened Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. The elder Clay knew that his son would be great one day because he had a big head like a King. Throughout his early career, Ali kept the Christian name which he criticize d as a slave name. He breezed through Rome at the tender age o f 18 in I960 and captured a Gold Medal for his Olympic efforts. Clay also swept all o f his early pro fights. A fte r winning the heavyweight championship on February 25, 1964 from the tough Sonny Liston in Miami Beach, Florida, the young champ announced that he had become a Muslim and should be called Muhammad Ali. The champ’s religious convictions caused him some early grief and hardships. In 1967, Ali was ordered to serve the United States M ilitary— he refused to take the proper steps for induction in Houston, Texas. At that time he was quoted as saying, " I am 90 per cent a Muslim minister and IO per cent a fighter." The government sought to arrest him as a evader o f draft regulations, but A li fought the system with pride, strength, and all the funds he could gather. Ultimately, without spending a day in a penal institution A li's beliefs were upheld by the highest court in the land. This victory left Ali unemployed and almost broke. He left the good life for the dark days in a Chicago ghetto. The dethroned champion took care o f his second w ife Kahlilah, and daughter Marvum , now ten, by lecturing around the nation about his opposition to the Vietnam War. After three-and-a-half years incog nito, a rusty and overweight A li launched his comeback by pounding out a victory over Jerry Quarry in Atlantic on October 26, 1970. Next came “ Smokin” Joe Frazier, A li's springboard to greatness and riches. He won two o f the three lights. On October 30, 1974, A ll cold-cocked the highly groomed George Foreman in Zaire, Africa in eight rounds to join Floyd Patterson as the only other man to win the heavyweight title o f the world twice Outing this period A li welcomed an added addition to his fam ily— Kahlilah gave b irth to twin girls, Reeshcinah and Jamillah, now 8. and Muhammad Ibn A li who is 6. In the spring o f I977, Khaliiah packed up and left. She filed for d i vorce, stating that Ali "violated his vows contrary to the teachings o f Is lam ," and failed to support het and the children in accordance with his wealth She also accused him o f desertion, mental cruelly, and having a ch ild by another woman. A li acknowledged being the father o f a baby born to Veronica Porsche in August o f 1976, who has since become his wife. On February 15, 1978, Leon Spinks, a 25-year-old ex-m arine 1801 N.E. Alberta r WILL D RAFT YOU FOR ONLY 15C Days: Sat., Sun. & Mon. Call: 288 8786 from the St. Louis ghetto stunned the champion by taking a 15 round split decision in I as Vegas. After the loss, Ali vowed that he would be the first man to ever win the heavyweight title three times—he kept his word by defeating Spinks in a rematch at the Superdome in New Orleans on September 16, 1979. A feat accomplished in front of 70,(KM) fans chanting " A li, A ll, A li." I he victory was his sweetest. Now All stands alone in the record books, "although the listing might show an asterisk because the WBC recognizes Larry Holmes a sham p io n ." Holmes beat Ken Norton who was given the title taken from Leon Spinks when he agreed to light A ll instead o f a proposed tight with Norton But the people know who the champ is Over the scars, only three lighters have gained victories against A li, and each time he has come back to place his identity in the proper perspective Ken Norton. Joe Iraz.er. and I eon Spinks were the victims. A true champion outside o f the rin g , A ll has given m illio n s to drought-stricken countries in Africa and other poor countries. Once he read in the New York Times that a senior citizens home was going under fo r lack o f finances. A li took a limousine over and donated 5 1 50,000 to keep it alive He also built a house for world class sprinter Houston McTear and his parents who were broke. "M oney don't do you no good if it's in the bank, nobody can claim money. It belongs to God. It’s just lent to us to do good things," he once philosophised. A li isn’t broke He has earned well over $40 million. For sure, he won't end up like Joe "The Brown Bomber" Louis did. There is no m an, other than Christ, who has enjoyed higher re cognition than A ll. Whether cruising through an Am erican ghetto, or making his pilgrimage to the holy- city o f Mecca, he is always in the limelight. A li is the first person to receive three keys to New York City. A li has entered palaces all over the world, scholars seek his erudite in tellectual a b ilitie s , and he has become a modern piped piper, with swarms nt admirers at his feet. A lth o u g h A l l never graduated from high school lie is widely sought for speaking engagements univer sally He captured the minds ol Har vard and Vale students and occupied a lecturers chair at the highest learn ing institution in the world, Oxford University in England. Ah has also become good friends w ith the Soviet U n io n and its president I eonid Brezhnev . I ast year the champ took a visit and came back to America with mote friends in that country than the U S. govern men!. For More Information "D o n 't worry about the Russians starling a w ar," said A li ill the New H o rlti Renew, "somebody’s got to mess wuh them firs t." A true diplomat. Ah has been a man for all seasons— m ystical in many ways, a fierce fighter one mo ment, a boyish charmer the next. He has been warm , a rrog an t, bom bastic, understanding and always ex cuing. Without a doubt, he is the greatest lighter ever to walk on earth and in 17 years. A l l has coni routed astronomical odds in the ring, hie, and he has survived every test! Everything you w a n t from a store SAFEWAY ... and a little bit more Hale Peaches Famous Yakima Hales. Northwest Grown I •• Tip Roast Smoked Picnics Boneless Beef Round Tip Rotisserie Roast Smoked Pork Shoulder Roast to Bake . . . UNION OR CO M PANY DENTAL INSURANCE is a valuable asset. . . your health and appearance COMPLETE COOPERATION O N Al I D E N IA L INSURANCE C LA IM S WE HANDLE ALL THE DETAILS OF A COMPLETING YOUR CLAIM FORMS no appointment needed Come in at your convenience PARK FREE - Any Park n Shop Lot HOURS: Weekdays 8 30a m. to 5 p .m . Saturdays8 30a m. to 1 p.m Dr. Jeffrey BRADY, Dentist S W 3RD Er YAMHILL ST PORTLAND. OREGON TAKE ELEVATOR TO 2ND FLOOR 3RD ST ENTRANCE FILM DEVELOPING Color Slides ©Dr. Pepper ■ X T . 8¿1 " S<r»woy K»4afc tr Ng ©Frozen Corn arss. 4 Ì 20 Exposure W Exposure F LiSa ©99« * • © Q uart Yogurt „ t s x .7 9 M ovie Film J Ö f ©Peanut Butler^xx,s14’ ©Soft D rin ksirx. 6 -9 9 * © 3 -lb . Honey SXXZ *2** C lio S A H W A T t O W W I ©H eidelberg'. xt . 12 »*3? >1, St S 99' W Orange Juke Minute Maid 6-et. Can »K i l . l l , SAFEW AY COUPON VALUE 10« Off Reg Price IM S « i ' I | « — » Limit 1 Per ¿aúpan i — W< Aea. IS ffcr. T m , A«*. i t At SsNwsy Star* X. sam, ©Dinners M “»■vili * © B read W hwt Sam hrich, l*f. W hh. m 59 2J le a f, Chic* m i 1 l- « i. Saf«w.y kr.mlvm Whit* w ©Spaghetti Spaghetti Me- ©Taco Sheds 3J © T am p ax ¿£X7 ■ •<40 © H a irS p ra y 7-si. »voi 99 Ri. ©Shampoo *2" E v e ry th in g you w a n t from 000 5 SAFEW AY f.w n K omm $ T. wu H m m I T i 7^1 M «; I iM tM and a little bit more! it T'
