THE GREATEST TURNS 70

He is, as they say, “The Greatest.” He’s the three-time heavyweight champion who left an indelible mark on sports and society. He’s a genuine american icon. Muhammad Ali turns 70-years-old today. I met Ali twice. The first was 15 years ago while he was in Pittsburgh for a conference on Parkinson’s Disease. The second was at Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in 2009, which was much more than a footnote to the night the Penguins wrapped their arms around the Cup for the third time. The first meeting featured the classic Ali personality. Even though he didn’t speak, his eyes owned the room. As Ali strolled past our cameras, he performed a magic trick. His right thumb was covered by a rubber prop, which hid the scarf that he’d pull out and wave. Ali was 55 then, but already in a sad and steep decline because of Parkinson’s. By the itme of our second meeting, in Detroit at the ’09 Cup Finals, his health had declined significantly, but again, even without talking, his personality took over. He posed for pictures and tried his best to sign autographs. The champ has now turned 70. Some prefer to remember the young Ali, the “float-like-a-butterfly” poet who packed a punch like none other. Now, 35 years past his prime, the greatness of “The Greatest” is shown not with the punch, but with the power of his presence.