Greatest American Sports Hero. Bo Jackson, Joe Montana, Walter Payton, Magic Johnson? Muhammad Ali comes to mind when I hear that statement. The man, the myth, the legend, Muhammad Ali brought into the world on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. Brought in to the world of boxing at the young age of 12 and later became recognized as the greatest boxer of all time. January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky Odessa Grady Clay gives birth to the destined Muhammad Ali. 12 years later, Muhammad receives and brand new red and white Schwinn bike, but it is stolen. Muhammad reports the theft to a police officer and states "I'm gonna whup whoever stole my bike." The police officer seizes the opportunity and takes Muhammad under his wing realizing …show more content…
When he joined he was dubbed Muhammad Ali. Then in 1975 he converted to Sunni Islam. His original name was Cassius Clay Jr. This conversion sparked a lot of controversy in the boxing community but this controversy also gained him fans, because his name was everywhere unless somebody lived underneath a rock, they would know about Muhammad Ali. This act sealed him in the boxing community as being one of the few Islam boxers. November 1, 1955 the Vietnam war starts but Muhammad Ali refuses to enter the draft. He was stripped of all his medals and achievements. Some reasons he gave why he did not join "I ain't got not quarrel with those Vietcong" and "Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles away from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights." Brought in to the world of boxing at the young age of 12 and later became recognized as the greatest boxer of all time. Muhammad Ali has made America a better place by his contributions to African American's right and to sports. "He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in