More Than Just a Boxer: The Life of The Greatest
Muhammad Ali never got enough credit for the humanitarian side of his persona after he left the ring (“Remembering The Greatest,” June 5).
I crossed paths with Ali on Third Avenue over 30 years ago when he was already slower-footed and speech-impaired.
Yet, his status as a giant was reflected in the eyes of the entourage of children following him, who saw him not only as a great champion but as the historical figure that he was and always will be. Richard Reay The Bronx
Ali walked the line for the good of all, whether it was resisting to serve in an unjust war in Vietnam or shining the spotlight on inequities of black oppression by joining Martin Luther King Jr.
Ali was capable and willing to risk it all for these causes.
While boxing may have made him famous, it was Ali’s nobility and sense of purpose that put him in the same rarified air as the likes of King and Nelson Mandela when it came to the civil-rights struggle.
He was a major influence in this era of oppression and social change. Daniel Kowbell Toronto, Canada
Lost in the praise for Ali is the fact that he stayed at the party far too long — fighting long after his considerable skills had eroded.
Ali won bouts by absorbing enormous amounts of punishment, poundings that surely contributed to his Parkinson’s symptoms.
Watching an elderly Ali being dragged onstage with his haunted eyes and stiff gait, one could only think: “Momma, don’t let your babies grow up to be boxers.” Pete McArdle Yorktown Heights
It was sad to see the great Ali say his final goodbye.
He beat everyone in the ring, but was felled by Parkinson’s disease after a heroic 30-year battle.
He was also a great humanitarian who spread goodwill around the world and was a symbol for freedom and justice.
Those who properly honor Ali should take a moment to remember all those young men who didn’t avoid the draft and fought and died for their country in Vietnam — something that Ali avoided. Michael Gorman Whitestone