Muhammad Ali - White Ancestor

Jeffsboxing · Post by **Jeffsboxing** » 28 May 2003, 22:56

I searched the internet about the Greatest Muhammad Ali. One writing in ESPN that 3/16 of Ali's blood is white race. Some other writing mentioned Norman Mailer wrote that the Kentucky orator Henry Clay was known as Ali's white ancestor. Could you please re-tell this story for me? Sorry - never think of being racist, just curious for and need an explanation. Thanks.

Jaclem · Post by **Jaclem** » 29 May 2003, 01:45

According to Genesis,Adam is Ali's white ancestor. Of course it takes alot of begats to get that far.

saad · Post by **saad** » 29 May 2003, 02:05

I think he's Irish.

Bladder · Post by **Bladder** » 29 May 2003, 04:55

I think it was his paternal grandfather or something was Irish. It's covered in a few of the Ali biographies.

There's a famous quote of Ali's when he refused induction for the Vietnam war - "Ain't no Vietcong ever called me Paddy".

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 29 May 2003, 10:38

A recent book about Ali's fight with Al 'Blue' Lewis in Dublin has a chapter on Ali's Irish ancestry. It is well worth a read.

THE BIG FIGHT: MUHAMMAD ALI VS AL "BLUE" LEWIS

By DAVE HANNIGAN

Publisher: VINTAGE/EBURY (A DIVISION OF RANDOM HOUSE)

Broncano · Post by **Broncano** » 29 May 2003, 13:45

Why is ethnicity so important to some boxing fans?
Time and time again since the days of Jack Johnson and James Jeffries (and I suppose in the bareknuckle era as well) the ugly face of race, color and ancestry is on the lurk.
And I'm not being politically correct here (God, help me if I am!).

Kentucky orator Henry Clay was known as Ali's white ancestor. Could you please re-tell this story for me? Sorry - never think of being racist, just curious for and need an explanation. Thanks

What explanation do you seek, my friend? How in heavens name a WASP like Henry Clay shagged (as they say in Britain) a colored plantation worker? There is no possible explanation for that. It just happens and it happened quite often in the XVIII and XIX century.
This remains me of a scene in Woody Allen's 'Crimes and misdemeanors'
Before going to bed, Allen is telling his wife that his sister went to bed with a stranger and after tying her down the guy defecated on her.
So Allen says,
'Human sexuality is so complex..."
Wife responds:
"Yeah, I know. Well, good night... I gotta be up at seven"

Newbie · Post by **Newbie** » 01 Jun 2003, 23:39

I'm sure we can all agree that his Irish ancestry is where his boxing ability came from. It's a little known fact that Muhammed Ali always wore a shamrock on his trunks when he boxed and downed a mug of Guiness before each match. His Irish accent was unmistakable in interviews and he often cursed his opponents in Gaelic in the clinches.

wouter · Post by **wouter** » 02 Jun 2003, 07:48

It also explains why he held a grudge against Joe Frazier. People tend to forget that Frazier was of Scottish ancestry; his grandfather was Duncan McFrazier of Edinburgh.

pvdh62 · Post by **pvdh62** » 02 Jun 2003, 20:49

wouter wrote:It also explains why he held a grudge against Joe Frazier. People tend to forget that Frazier was of Scottish ancestry; his grandfather was Duncan McFrazier of Edinburgh.

That explaines his accent, I always wondered about it......