Ali and the “Little Man”

by Woody

STRAW_CoverWoody’s highly anticipated new book “STRAWBERRIES IN WINTERTIME: Essays on Life, Love, and Laughter” is NOW available! Order your signed copy HERE! 

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Great Memories of ‘The Greatest’

The moment was magical then and a full two decades later the memory remains magical still.

After spending six hours speaking about tolerance and understanding to students at a handful of inner-city schools in Los Angeles, Muhammad Ali ended the day in a private room with VIPs and media.

Finishing a chicken drumstick, Ali wiped his fingers clean and held up the napkin for all to see.

“What color is it?” he asked, all eyes now focused on him.1aliquote

“Red,” the roomful of people answered as one.

Using his left thumb, Ali carefully stuffed the napkin into his closed right fist.

“What color is it?” he asked again while playfully sprinkling invisible magic dust over his fist.

“Red” the chorus repeated. Ali smiled mischievously, his eyes dancing with delight, as he opened his right hand to reveal . . . ta-da . . . nothing!

“My handssss is sooo faaast you can’t even see ’em!” he crowed in a loud whisper, displaying both empty hands.

Ali, 54 years old on that December day in 1996, was already struggling fiercely with Parkinson’s – the disease that eventually claimed his life eight days ago at age 74. But for a few minutes he turned back the calendar pages, performing a couple more magic tricks and even throwing a few lightening punches while briefly shadow boxing.

Another Ali memory, this one from six months earlier at an autograph show in the Anaheim Convention Center. I was doing a column on Ali interacting with fans and I brought along my 6-year-old son. On the long drive there, I schooled the boy about “The Greatest.”

We sat next to Ali as he signed myriad pictures, posters, magazines and boxing gloves. Finally, I told my son it was time to leave.

“Not yet,” he balked softly. I’ve gotta say ‘Bye.’ ”

Ali heard the little boy’s protest and turned and for the very first time in an hour the man who used to “float like a butterfly” emerged from his cocoon of total silence.

“Hi, Little Man,” Ali whispered, spreading his arms wide as wings.

The 6-year-old Little Man, shy back then, instantly stepped forward and was wrapped in a clinch. Goodness it was cool.

But the real Kodak moment was yet to come.

After a standing eight count, maybe even a full ten seconds, Ali freed the Little Man and held out his right palm in the universal “give me five” position.

The boy, who at that age smacked hands hard enough to shatter metatarsals, gently slapped Ali’s palm before extending his own tiny hand for The Champ to return the gesture.

Ali took a swipe . . .

. . . and missed.

At the very last instant, the Little Man pulled his hand away like a matador’s red cape teasing a bull.

“Too slow,” the Little Man teased, his two missing front teeth causing the words to lisp. Like, “Tooooth looow.” Like Ali’s own voice that now lisped slightly.

Like two 6-year-olds, they laughed together at the tomfoolery.

Still roaring in delight, Ali once again opened his arms and the Little Man once again stepped into them, except this time the shy boy squeezed back, and tightly. Ali’s eyes caught mine and I swear to this day they twinkled.

It was a long hug. A Hollywood-ending hug. A hug from “The Greatest” that the Little Man, now a 6-foot-3 tall man, still remembers dearly and surely will until he is an old man.

As we walked hand-in-hand away after saying goodbye to Ali, my son stopped and looked up at me and here is what he said through a Christmas-morning smile in his two-missing-teeth lisp: “You know, Dad, you’re right – he really is ‘The Bestest.’ ”

One final memory. Inside that VIP room, six months later, Ali motioned for me to come over.

“You got a boy?” he asked faintly, holding out his hand, palm down, hip-high in a gesture of height.

I nodded, stunned he could possibly remember.

“Too slow,” Ali said, pulling back his hip-high hand, laughing, and then he signed an autograph: “To Greg – Love, Muhammad Ali.”

Rest in peace, “The Bestest.”

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Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.com.

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