The first time I saw or heard of Muhammad Ali.

[Gomez163]

He had already changed his name. He was on the Wide World of Sports with Ernie Terrell going over their fight. Terrell had an eyepatch on from an injury suffered during the fight. Ali had purposely held back from finishing off Terrell because Terrell kept calling him Clay. Ali kept taunting 'What's my name?"

It seemed cruel and childish at the time to me, a boy aged 9, and I was not left with a good impression of Ali.

That changed once I saw more of him, but that's how it started.

[benld74]

1. I was around the same age,

Visiting Aunt in Chicago. We were downtown? A bunch of kids had swarmed this guy on the sidewalk.
Uncle asked if I knew who the guy was.
I guessed Billy Williams.
Wrong.
Muhammad Ali.
Who?
Never mind, take this over and get his autograph.
What's an autograph?
He will write his name on this and you keep it.
Really?
Yes, now take this paper and pen and get over there.
OK.
I still have it.
M Ali

[Bayard]

2. I am from Louisville

He was always heavily covered there. My dad, from South Carolina, always refused to call him anything but, Cassius Clay. As I grew up, I realized what a great man he was really. He is already sorely missed.