During the beautiful services for Muhammad Ali, comedian Billy Crystal stepped up to the podium and offered up his favorite memories of the late boxer. He spoke about how he first met Ali, how Ali called him “little brother”, the many times Ali stuck up for him and all the time they spent together. Crystal injected a bit of much needed humor into his delivery, but eulogized his dear friend with nothing less than pride, respect and admiration.
That my friends is my history with a man I’ve labored to come up with a way to describe. The legend. He was a tremendous bolt of lightning created by mother nature out of thin air. A fantastic combination of power and beauty. We’ve seen still photographs of lightning bolts at the moment of impact ferocious and its strength. Magnificent in its elegance and at the moment of impact it lights up everything around it, so you can see everything clearly. Muhammad Ali struck us in the middle of America’s darkest night in the heart of its most threatening gathering storm. his power toppled the mightiest of foes. And His intense light shined on America and we were able to see clearly injustice, inequality, poverty, pride, self-realization, courage, laughter, love, joy and religious freedom for all.
Ali forced us to take a look at ourselves.
15 Rounds – 1979
