The Popcorn Stand: Ali loses his first fight

Full disclosure, I’m admirer of Muhammad Ali. I do respect the opinion of those who still hold hard feelings against the man and even consider him a draft dodger, although I strongly disagree with that assertion.

It was 54 years ago today, April 17, 1967 that Ali lost his first fight. Not in the ring. But in the Supreme Court. It was that day in which the Supreme Court made a decision that could possibly end up putting him in jail and led to a four-year legal battle. That same Supreme Court found a technicality that kept Ali out of jail and cleared him four years later.

It was on April 17, 1967 when Ali’s plea to be exempt from the draft was rejected by the Supreme Court. It should be noted it’s a fair question as to why Ali was going to be drafted in the first place.

Professional athletes at that time were pretty much given exemptions from the draft and allowed to join the National Guard instead. I don’t think there’s any question, though, the U.S. Government made an example of Ali because he was an agitator.

And make no mistake about it, Ali was an agitator. Ali made Colin Kaepernick look like a choir boy.

And let’s be clear, Ali didn’t take the easy way out by avoiding the draft. His stand was largely symbolic. Even though I believe it’s true to say Ali was singled out by the U.S. Government when he was made eligible for the draft in the first place, it’s also pretty clear Ali would have never gone to fight in Vietnam.

It’s virtually a certainty Ali would have been in the Special Services, so the U.S. Government could use him as a propaganda tool to, displaying him as someone doing his patriotic duty, supporting the war effort by promoting the morale of the troops. Talk about a publicity stunt. From agitator to patriotic American supporting the war.

My guess is Ali stood by his principals and convictions because he knew if he went along with being drafted, it would be considered support for the war. And I don’t think he could have gone along with an action that would have been considered supporting the war in any way.

Ali could have taken the easy way out. He could have said while I’m against the war, I’ll go along with being drafted because it’s not likely I’ll be sent to Vietnam anyway.

He could have done his boxing exhibitions for the troops — while still defending his title as World Heavyweight champion.

As great as Ali was, I actually don’t think we saw him at his, well his nickname, the greatest. In 1967 he was in the prime of his career. He was at his peak.

I really believe Ali thought there was a chance he would never fight again by making his stand. There are those who still believe Ali was ungrateful to a nation that allowed him to make an ungodly amount of money by beating people up.

Which reminds me and forgive me if I’m being too flippant and politically correct, but George Carlin had a pretty good line about Ali.

It went something like Ali beats people up for a living but he draws the line at killing him. Well the U.S. Government said if you’re not willing to kill people, then we want let you beat them up.

But Ali actually pretty much lost everything in his fight out of the ring. He lost her professional career at great personal financial and emotional loss.

And to those who say Ali is a draft dodger, didn’t Ali simply take advantage of the due process that this country is all about? And actually is that why our brave young men and women fight for the right for people for Ali to fight for the right not fight?

Ali didn’t run away. He stayed right here. He was willing to take any punishment delivered to him. True, he took advantage of every legal recourse he could. But again wasn’t that his right?

And in the end, through the due process, the Supreme Court — in an 8-0 decision — that same Supreme Court who once pretty much said it was OK to send Ali to jail if he didn’t submit to the draft — essentially found in the end he did nothing wrong. Again it was on a technicality.

The HBO movie Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight brilliantly shows how the Supreme Court ultimately came to its final decision and how it found the technicality to do it.

It should be noted the reason why the vote was 8-0 was because Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall recused himself from the case. Marshall supported integration thought that view created a conflict with the views of Ali.

Eleven days after that fateful Supreme Court decision, on April 28, 1967, Ali refused induction into the U.S. Army.

Thus continued Ali’s greatest fight. A fight he initially lost. And eventually won.