By Brian Bohl
Muhammad Ali captured headlines for his memorable performances in forging one of the greatest boxing careers in history. But his ability to engage fans, media and opponents with his words helped the former prolific fighter become more than just a sports star.
The 66-year-old Ali has stayed out of the public eye he embraced as a younger man while he battles Parkinson's disease. But journalists, family and friends of the Olympic gold-medalist and three-time heavyweight champion shared memories and stories during a two-day conference called "The Greatest: From Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali," from Nov. 13-14.
During a panel titled: "On the Road with Ali: Trainers, Promoters, Journalists," Stan Isaacs, a retired columnist for Newsday, said sportswriters were hesitant to accept Ali, especially when he changed his name in 1964 after becoming a member of the Nation of Islam.
"The older writers resented him as a braggart," Isaacs said. "When he became a Muslim, it was a political thing and he split the nation. I think most of the white community did not know how loved he was in the black community.
"He was despised in the white community, to the extent that some of the older writers would not use his name Muhammad Ali. They resented him, that he was unpatriotic. They kept calling him Cassius Clay."
Ed Ingles, a former CBS broadcaster and WRHU's professional-in-residence, hosted the panel that included Isaacs, former New York Times columnist Dave Anderson, Daily News writer Phil Pepe and cartoonist Bill Gallo.
Gene Kilroy, Ali's business manager, also sat on the dais and gave a behind-the-scenes look at Ali's philanthropy and provided the highlight of the afternoon with a powerful anecdote.
Kilroy, who shared one of the closer relationships to the fighter during his career, told the audience in the Cultural Center Theater some of his favorite stories about Ali. He recalled one touching personal story where Ali, while training in Pennsylvania for his 1975 "Thrilla in Manila" heavyweight title fight in the Philippines against Joe Frasier, met a young cancer patient.
Kilroy said the boy's father asked if he could visit Ali when his training session was over. When the child was asked why he was wearing a skull cap on a scorching June day, Kilroy still remembered the response.
"He said 'Champ, I have cancer and I'm getting chemo and I lost all my hair,'" Kilroy said, "Ali said 'I'm gonna beat Joe Frasier and your gonna beat cancer.'"
After sending the family an autographed picture with the same message, Ali's camp got a call from the child's father three weeks later thanking them for the picture but informing them that the boy's health took a turn for the worst.
Kilroy said Ali visited the hospital the next day. When he went into the boy's room, Ali tried to comfort him.
"Muhammad said, 'Remember Jimmy, I'm gonna beat Joe Frasier, and your gonna beat cancer,'" Kilroy said. "He said, 'No Muhammad, I'm gonna meet God. I'm going to tell him I'm a friend of yours.'
"Every one of us who touched Ali's robe became a better person. Our big moment is about knowing Muhammad and bragging about him," Kilroy said.
Ali beat Frasier in that fight, scoring a technical knockout victory that allowed him to retain his heavyweight title. Arthur Mercante, one of the handful of referees who have been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, was part of the conference. Mercante officiated the Phillipines bout along with Ali's fight against Ken Norton.
The University added a family touch, inviting Maryum (May May) Ali to the conference, where she said her father is doing well in coping with his disease, living with wife Lonnie and still maintaining a close relationship with his nine children.
During the panel's question-and-answer period, Maryum Ali said complaints about her father's boastfulness were racially motivated by some. Muhammad Ali made many public comments about race, politics and religion, most famously by refusing to be drafted into the Army during the Vietnam war as a contentious objector.
Pepe, who covered many of his fights, provided some of the more light-heartened comments and said covering the self-proclaimed greatest fighter ever was an easy task for a sportswriter.
"I put him in a class with Pete Rose and Casey Stengel, but Ali was Number One," Pepe said. "He's a guy who would fill your notebook. How could you not love a person like that? He helped us do our jobs better than anyone."