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Features
Public Expresses Their Feeling Over The Death Of Muhammad Ali
MUHAMMAD ALI “The Greatest”
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
None of us thought in 1960 that the skinny kid from Louisville, Kentucky who won the light-heavyweight gold medal in the Olympic Games would become a renowned fig- ure.
That young man was born Cassius Marcellus Clay, but his life’s journey would have him evolve into Muhammad Ali, arguably the greatest athlete who ever lived.
One June 3rd at his home in Arizona, the man who made us all take a step back and look at ourselves, passed away sur- rounded by his children, his wife, and some close friends. He was 74.
For some Tampa residents Muhammad Ali had a direct and indirect impact as his ex- ample and daring influenced their lives.
Bishop Michelle Patty
said her lasting memory will be her being the first African
American woman to carry the Olympic torch.
“What makes it even more special is, the torch’s flame was passed on to Muham- mad Ali, and he used it to an- nounce the beginning of the Olympic Games in Atlanta.
“I’m honored to have been a part of Muhammad Ali’s history, and spiritually, I felt God had released him from the pain and suffering he’d en- dured over the past 10 years.
“Muhammad Ali was a man of principle, we all saw him as an image of strength. I took the torch to church with me this weekend and talked to the young people about who this great man was.”
Former Professional Fighter, John “Saw Pretty” Brooks said although he did have a chance to meet Don King during his career, he never met Ali.
“My decision to become a professional fighter was due to the influence he had on my life. It was an honor to be a part of the same sport that made this man beloved all over the world.
“Ali stood up for what was right and we needed that dur- ing that time. I did the best I
BISHOP MICHELLE PATTY
could with what I learned from the example he set, and his legacy in this country will never be duplicated. He is still The Greatest!”
Corey “King Cobra” Felton said as a former pro- fessional fighter, he considers Ali the father of boxing.
“His death has really im- pacted me and he was great in and out of the ring. He was a real iconic figure that gained worldwide respect.
“This man accomplished things world leaders couldn’t do. He really left an impres- sion on me that I’ll carry for the rest of my life. After I de-
TOMMIE WILSON
cided to become a professional fighter, Ali was the man I studied. We all wanted to be like him and be champions in the ring and in life.”
Sentinel Bulletin Adver- tising Executive, Tommie Wilson, said he remembers meeting Ali on a few occa- sions when he’d come through the airport.
“I was working as a Sky Cap at the airport, and the first time I saw him, he was being mobbed by people who wanted his autograph. When I approached him I told him I didn’t want his autograph but to recognize him for being a
great ambassador of the sport. “One one occasion, he hugged me, and on another occasion, he asked me to pre- tend to be Joe Frazier. We were talking when someone told him it was time to go. His response was the plane was not taking off without him, so he had all the time in the
world.”
Former Professional
Fighter, Michael “Gold” Rush, said everyone was in love with Ali, because he was- n’t afraid to speak his mind, and hurt a few feelings along the way.
“He knew everyone would- n’t accept his name change, but he did it anyway. He knew the government wouldn’t like him not signing up for the draft, but he did it anyway. He knew everyone thought George Foreman would de- stroy him, but he fought him anyway.
“Whatever it took to be a great champion and a great man, Ali was born with it, and so many have tried to copy it. Only once in a lifetime do you get to witness a great cham- pion, a great man, and a legacy that can’t be matched by any- one.”
Financial Seminars Series Set To Begin Later This Month
EBONE CRUZ
The free, professional, fi- nancial seminars series hosted by the Tampa Bay Black Her- itage Festival Committee and the Entrepreneur Collaborative Center will begin on Saturday, June 25, 2016 and continue for the next 4 months, the last Sat- urday of each month.
“Building Businesses For the Future” series will kick off in June with the topic, “Social Media Investment.” Ebone Cruz and Sean Josephs will be the guests for this seminar.
The purpose of the summer to fall seminars is to provide in- formation and direction to small and aspiring business owners on how to build their businesses for the future.
Other topics to be explored are: Saturday, July 30th – “The ROI on Investing In Yourself;” August 27th – “Access To Capi- tal Investment;” September 24th – “Building Wealth To In- vestments.” No date has been set for the October seminar, however, the topic will be “Pro- tecting Your Assets: Your Legal and Tax Investment.”
The seminars will be held 10 a. m. – 12:30 p. m. (doors open at 9:30 a. m.) at the En- trepreneur Collaborative Cen- ter, 2101 E. Palm Ave., Ybor City.
To register for the seminars or to get additional informa- tion, please visit www.tam- pablackheritage.org/seminars.
SEAN JOSEPHS
TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3