BIKEBOY Posted September 12, 2010 Report Share Posted September 12, 2010 I almost forgot I had this picture stored away. I am just now becoming savvy enough to use my scanner. It's low res. so that it would attach to this thread. Sorry for that. In December 2006 a very good customer of our bicycle store who was a personal friend/physical therapist of Ali, called in the morning and asked if we were both going to be at the store that afternoon and that he had a Christmas gift for us. Here we are thinking it would be a bottle of wine or something!? OMG...it definitely wasn't a bottle of wine!!! They pulled up right in front of the shop door and as they got out of Ali's Suburban and our friend helped him out of the passenger front seat and grabbed him his walker, we couldn't believe our eyes! At the time there was only one customer in the store. He was dumbfounded, just as we were. Greg held the door open for him and Mohammad 'slowly' with the use of his walker, approached our back counter. Unfortuneately with this disease, he isn't able to speak, and needs the walker. But let me tell you my TS brothers and sisters.....his handshake could still have squeezed off my fingers!! Lol. Look at his shoulders. He is still VERY strong, as he continues to lift weight and does lots of physical therapy. That's what our friend Greg does with him when he's at his home in Az. Greg had never led on over the years that he even knew Ali. That spoke to his character, I think. Man oh man, what a Christmas present that was, to meet the Champ! :happy feet: Enjoy, BIKEBOY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clark17357 Posted September 12, 2010 Report Share Posted September 12, 2010 You are one lucky guy. Thanks for sharing. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKEBOY Posted September 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2010 Not that anyone will see anyone else in the photo besides the "Champ".......but the bald headed guy on the right is me. The handsome Italian on the left is , (was) my partner at the store. he is my wife's brother. Yes....we were both very lucky guys that day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC5.4 Posted September 12, 2010 Report Share Posted September 12, 2010 Awesome! Was he able to sign autoghraphs still? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKEBOY Posted September 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2010 Awesome! Was he able to sign autoghraphs still? No, I don't think so. Frankly it never even occurred to me until later. I was too busy cleaning my shorts out afterwards!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherri Leicht Posted September 12, 2010 Report Share Posted September 12, 2010 :happy feet: so cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MY500SS Posted September 12, 2010 Report Share Posted September 12, 2010 Very cool stuff indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted September 13, 2010 Report Share Posted September 13, 2010 That is awesome. He had a tough time back in the day, and is having a tough time now, and now, just like then, won't give up. I'll never forget the Atlanta Olympics opening ceremony. It still brings a chill when I see it. We were at a friends watching it on TV and as they were coming through the stadium we were guessing who it was. I said "It would be cool if it were Muhammad Ali". There was no hint whatsoever, other than it was a sporting celebrity. Everyone's chin dropped when it was him, and everyone was a little choked up to see him. "Oh my". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormeaston Posted September 13, 2010 Report Share Posted September 13, 2010 Funny how time changes an opinion about somebody.........................I can remember in his heyday everyone couldn't wait for somebody to beat the crap outa him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svtkeith Posted September 13, 2010 Report Share Posted September 13, 2010 I almost forgot I had this picture stored away. I am just now becoming savvy enough to use my scanner. It's low res. so that it would attach to this thread. Sorry for that. In December 2006 a very good customer of our bicycle store who was a personal friend/physical therapist of Ali, called in the morning and asked if we were both going to be at the store that afternoon and that he had a Christmas gift for us. Here we are thinking it would be a bottle of wine or something!? OMG...it definitely wasn't a bottle of wine!!! They pulled up right in front of the shop door and as they got out of Ali's Suburban and our friend helped him out of the passenger front seat and grabbed him his walker, we couldn't believe our eyes! At the time there was only one customer in the store. He was dumbfounded, just as we were. Greg held the door open for him and Mohammad 'slowly' with the use of his walker, approached our back counter. Unfortuneately with this disease, he isn't able to speak, and needs the walker. But let me tell you my TS brothers and sisters.....his handshake could still have squeezed off my fingers!! Lol. Look at his shoulders. He is still VERY strong, as he continues to lift weight and does lots of physical therapy. That's what our friend Greg does with him when he's at his home in Az. Greg had never led on over the years that he even knew Ali. That spoke to his character, I think. Man oh man, what a Christmas present that was, to meet the Champ! :happy feet: Enjoy, BIKEBOY Awesome story and what a gift congrats bud...I met him also back in 1984 he was in Halfax Nova Scotia when Trevor Berbick fought Larry Holmes...I did get to shake hands with him and got him to autograph a dollar bill...IMO he was in his prime the best HW of all time without a dought and a great human being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKEBOY Posted September 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2010 That is awesome. He had a tough time back in the day, and is having a tough time now, and now, just like then, won't give up. I'll never forget the Atlanta Olympics opening ceremony. It still brings a chill when I see it. We were at a friends watching it on TV and as they were coming through the stadium we were guessing who it was. I said "It would be cool if it were Muhammad Ali". There was no hint whatsoever, other than it was a sporting celebrity. Everyone's chin dropped when it was him, and everyone was a little choked up to see him. "Oh my". Yes...thanks for that as well! And to quote Dick Enberg...."OH MY"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mywickedshelby Posted September 13, 2010 Report Share Posted September 13, 2010 Thats an amazing surprise. You are a lucky man Bikeboy. My Dad was a huge boxing fan (oy, I still remember him yelling at the tv for 3 weeks during the 1976 Olympics) and I grew up watching every boxing match.........Ali! wow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.