CHICAGO — Boxing great Muhammad Ali, who had close ties to Chicago, died at the age of 74 late Friday.
Though Ali was a Kentucky native, Chicago played a significant role in the life of the much-lauded boxer. Ali was in the city in 1959 for a Golden Gloves tournament when he first heard about the Nation of Islam, the organization that would play an important role in his life but also led to controversy, he wrote in his autobiography, "The Soul of a Butterfly."
"The Nation of Islam was led by Elijah Muhammad, and what he and his followers were saying about Black pride really got me thinking," Ali said. "Their self-confidence and military discipline also caught my attention."
Ali would return to Chicago to hear Muhammad speak. He befriended Malcolm X and joined the Nation of Islam, changing his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali, and moved to Hyde Park for a period of time.
Years later, when Ali was drafted but refused to enlist and serve in the Vietnam War, Ali was criticized by then-Mayor Richard Daley and his City Council while planning a match against Ernie Terrell in Chicago, according to "Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight" by Howard Bingham and Max Wallace.
"I hope the fight won't be held in Chicago," Daley said. "The record here is that we could do well without it."
The match was eventually canceled and Ali instead went on to win bouts during a short tour of Canada and Europe.
Ali would also be married in the city and several of Ali's children were raised in Chicago and nearby suburbs, living with their grandparents and frequently visited by their father, according to "Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight."
Chicagoans reacted to the news of Ali's passing, remembering his time in the city and his connection with local fans.
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