My Hero Essay: Muhammad Ali
By: Mike Mida
May 2009
Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr was born in Louisville, Kentucky on January 17, 1942. After joining the nation of Islam in 1964, he changed his name to Muhammad Ali, now one of the most recognizable and famous names in the history of sport and culture. Ali has now been retired from the sport of boxing for 38 years and lives with his wife in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Muhammad Ali is one of the most accomplished and famous sportsmen in history. In boxing, he won the won the 1960 Gold medal in Rome at only 18 years of age. This was just the start of his boxing greatness – he held the world heavyweight crown for a total of 9 years between 1964-1979, was elected into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1987 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990, and was named “Sportsman of the Century” in 1999 by Sports Illustrated. Ali has also been involved in two of the greatest boxing matches in history: His 1971 fight with Joe Frazier has been dubbed ‘The Fight of the Century’ and his 1974 with George Foreman, known as ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’, has been ranked #7 in the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments.
Muhammad Ali’s fame has also allowed him to accomplish a lot outside the sport of boxing. His accomplishments outside of his sport have benefitted people all around the world. In 1966, Muhammad Ali was drafted into the United States Army to fight in the Vietnam War. However, Ali refused to fight in the war as the war was “Against the teachings of the Holy Qur’an.” Because of his refusal to fight in the war, Ali spent four years in prison and was stripped of his boxing title he held at the time. This action inspired many around the world, as Ali, one of the most visible figures of the time, refused to compromise his beliefs. In 2002, Ali went to Afghanistan as a ‘United Nations Messenger of Peace’ and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the US, in 2005. Ali was also awarded the Otto Hahn Peace Medal in Gold of the United Nations for his work with the US civil rights movement that same year. Muhammad still travels 200 days a year to fight poverty and hunger all over the world. His donations and assistance has helped provide over 22 million meals to the hungry.
Ali’s accomplishments in and out of the boxing ring, as well as his animated, eccentric personality made him the most adored and well-known sports figure in history. To honor this, Muhammad Ali was named to Time Magazine’s ‘100 Most Important People of the Century’ in 1999.
Muhammad Ali is a hero and has made a difference in my life. In sport, Ali gives me inspiration to work hard everyday, as I play a competitive sport. Ali is a sporting champion and he inspires me and many others to work hard. His quote “Don’t’ quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion,” is one of my favorite quotes and words that I keep in my mind while playing my sport. Ali’s humanitarian work is something I admire as well. Unlike many other sports starts these days, Ali has used his incredible fame to help assist those less fortunate around the world. Muhammad Ali was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1984. My family has lost a grandparent to Parkinson’s and one other grandparent living with the disease, and Ali gives hope that those with Parkinson’s can still survive and function and make a difference even with their condition.
Because of all of this, Muhammad Ali is my hero.
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