Hatch and Ali: 30 Years of Friendship
Washington, D.C.—Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, will speak at the funeral service tomorrow for Muhammad Ali in Louisville, Kentucky. Ahead of the funeral, Hatch released a video tribute highlighting Senator Hatch and Ali’s decades-long friendship.
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Hatch, Booker Introduce Resolution Honoring the Life of Muhammad Ali
Washington, D.C.—In the United States Senate this week, Senators Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Cory Booker, D-N.J., introduced a resolution honoring the life and achievements of Muhammad Ali following his death last Friday evening. The resolution passed in the Senate on Friday morning.
“Ali was the Greatest because—as an ailing yet unbroken champion in his later years—he pointed us to a greatness beyond ourselves, a greatness beyond even Ali,” Hatch said. “He pointed us to the greatness of God. I am eternally grateful for my special bond with this special man, and for my friendship with his beloved wife Lonnie, who was his dedicated companion to the very end. I pray that Ali may now rest peacefully in the presence of the Greatest of all, our God.”
“Like so many Americans, Muhammad Ali was one of my greatest heroes. He taught us to live as God created us to: not to fit in but to stand out, not to be a dull carbon copy of others but to be unapologetically original, not to go along with the world as it is but to fight to make it better, more just, more loving,” Booker said. “He was a champion unbound by the boxing ring. As we remember this man of tenacious principle, I am pleased to join Sen. Hatch in honoring his legacy through this resolution.”
The full text of the resolution, as introduced in the Senate, is attached and below:
RESOLUTION
Honoring the life and achievements of Muhammad Ali.
Whereas Muhammad Ali was an Olympic gold medalist;
Whereas the athletic legacy of Muhammad Ali is cemented by a 21-year professional career amid a golden age of boxing, in which he amassed a record of 56–5 with 37 knockouts;
Whereas Muhammad Ali was the first individual ever to capture the World Heavyweight Title 3 times;
Whereas Muhammad Ali memorably recaptured the world title in the ‘‘Rumble in the Jungle’’ on October 30, 1974, when he knocked out then-undefeated World Heavyweight Champion George Foreman;
Whereas Muhammad Ali successfully defended his title 10 times, perhaps most famously during the ‘‘Thrilla in Manila’’ on October 1, 1975;
Whereas Muhammad Ali showed, beyond his impressive fighting prowess in the boxing ring, even greater courage and tenacity as an advocate outside the ring;
Whereas Muhammad Ali was a great philanthropist and a widely recognized advocate of peace, equality, and freedom;
Whereas Muhammad Ali remains an icon of freedom of conscience;
Whereas Muhammad Ali was a prominent African American of the Muslim faith, and was and continues to be a role model to the citizens of the United States of all races, ethnicities, and religions;
Whereas Muhammad Ali used his fame to advocate for humanitarian causes in audiences with world leaders, such as Pope John Paul II, the Dalai Lama, and multiple presidents of the United States; and
Whereas Muhammad Ali inspired people around the globe in displaying the same vibrant and larger-than-life character and dedication in spite of his physical ailments: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate honors the life of Muhammad Ali and his achievements as an athlete, philanthropist, and humanitarian.
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Hatch Tribute at Muhammed Ali’s Funeral: Ali pointed us to the greatness of God
Washington, D.C.—This afternoon, Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, spoke at the funeral for his friend Muhammad Ali in Louisville, Kentucky. Excerpts, as well as the full text of the eulogy are below. Video to follow shortly.
On Muhammad Ali, the boxer
There were many facets to Muhammad Ali’s greatness: his abilities as a boxer, his charisma as a public figure, his benevolence as a father and as a friend. All of these things made Ali great, but it was something else that made him the Greatest.
Ali was the Greatest because—as a debilitated yet unbroken champion in his later years—he pointed us to a greatness beyond ourselves, a greatness beyond even Ali. He pointed us to the greatness of God.
God raised up Ali to be the greatest fighter of all time. Yet He allowed Ali to wrestle with Parkinson’s Disease, an inescapable reminder that we are all mortal and that we are all dependent on God’s grace. Ali believed this himself. He once told me, God gave me this condition to remind me always that I am human and that only He is the Greatest.
Ali was an unsurpassed symbol of our universal dependence on the divine. He was the Greatest because he reminded us all who is truly Greatest: God, our Creator.
Bringing Muhammad Ali to Utah
On another occasion, I took Ali to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. We visited with downtrodden children who perhaps had never smiled a day in their life—until Ali showed up. When Ali held those kids and looked into their eyes, they would grin from ear to ear. The nurses were astounded; never before had they seen someone who connected so immediately and profoundly with those children. Ali had a special way with kids. He may have been tough and tenacious in the ring, but he was compassionate and tender around those he loved.
His title “The Greatest” applies to more than just his reputation as a boxer
To assume that Ali’s greatness stems solely from his athletic prowess is to see only half the man. Ali was great not only as an extraordinary fighter; he was a committed civil rights leader, an international diplomat, a forceful advocate of religious freedom, an effective emissary of Islam. He was caring as a father, a husband, a brother, and a friend. Indeed, it is as a personal friend that I witnessed Ali’s greatness for myself.
On what Hatch and Ali had in common
The friendship we developed was, I think, puzzling to many people, especially those who saw only our differences. But where others saw difference, Ali and I saw kinship. We were both dedicated to our families and deeply devoted to our faiths; he to Islam and I to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We were both products of humble backgrounds and hardscrabble youth; he grew up poor here in Louisville, I grew up poor in Pittsburgh.
True, we were different in some ways, but our differences fortified our friendship; they did not define it. I saw greatness in Ali’s ability to look beyond the horizon of our differences to find common ground.
The full speech, as prepared for delivery, is below:
Ahead of his first fight with Sonny Liston, Muhammad Ali stood before a crowded pack of reporters and told the world unapologetically who he was: I am the Greatest, he said.
With this simple proclamation, Ali took the pen of history and wrote his own title in the textbooks. He was not Muhammad Ali the Prize Fighter or even Muhammed Ali the World Champion; He was Muhammad Ali the Greatest.
Ali’s doubters dismissed this declaration as mere braggadocio. But Ali wasn’t talking trash; he was speaking truth. In the world of boxing, he truly was the Greatest. With the cutthroat quickness of a streetfighter and the supple grace of a ballerina, Ali moved with Achilles-like agility and punched with Herculean strength.
But to assume that Ali’s greatness stems solely from his athletic prowess is to see only half the man.
Ali was great not only as an extraordinary fighter; he was a committed civil rights leader, an international diplomat, a forceful advocate of religious freedom, an effective emissary of Islam.
He was caring as a father, a husband, a brother, and a friend. Indeed, it is as a personal friend that I witnessed Ali’s greatness for myself.
I first met Muhammad Ali 28 years ago, almost to the day. I was in my Senate office and my assistant called on the intercom to tell me I had a surprise visitor; it was none other than the Champion himself.
The friendship we developed was, I think, puzzling to many people, especially those who saw only our differences. But where others saw difference, Ali and I saw kinship. We were both dedicated to our families and deeply devoted to our faiths; he to Islam and I to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We were both products of humble backgrounds and hardscrabble youth; he grew up poor here in Louisville, I grew up poor in Pittsburgh.
True, we were different in some ways, but our differences fortified our friendship; they did not define it. I saw greatness in Ali’s ability to look beyond the horizon of our differences to find common ground. This shared sensibility was the foundation of a rich and meaningful relationship I will always treasure.
One of my fondest memories of our friendship was when Ali joined me in Salt Lake to hear the famed Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Ali loved music and enjoyed the choir’s performance, but he seemed most excited to share his own religious beliefs with those who came to hear the Christian hymns. Ali attracted big crowds that day, and he eagerly gave everyone pre-autographed pamphlets explaining his Muslim beliefs. Hundreds of Mormons lined up to grab Ali’s pamphlets, and of course, I took one for myself. I respected his deeply-held convictions just as he respected mine, and in the end, our friendship was enriched by our differing faiths. Ali was open to goodness in all its diverse varieties.
On another occasion, I took Ali to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. We visited with downtrodden children who perhaps had never smiled a day in their life—until Ali showed up. When Ali held those kids and looked into their eyes, they would grin from ear to ear. The nurses were astounded; never before had they seen someone who connected so immediately and profoundly with those children. Ali had a special way with kids. He may have been tough and tenacious in the ring, but he was compassionate and tender around those he loved.
For all of his ferocity as a fighter, Ali was also a peacemaker. A particular radio host in Utah berated me constantly on the airwaves, week after week. One day, the host asked if I would arrange for Ali to meet with Utah’s former middleweight champion, Gene Fullmer, for a joint interview. Ali agreed, knowing the appearance could help me build some goodwill. It was an unforgettable experience. Here were two champions sitting face-to-face, reminiscing about some of the best fights the world has ever witnessed. And in the process, Ali charmed that radio host on my behalf, gently transforming an unrepentant antagonist into a respectful sparring partner.
So dedicated was Ali to our friendship that he joined me on the campaign trail during several election cycles, and he came to Utah year after year to raise funds for a charity benefitting needy women and families in our state. Ali didn’t look at life through the binary lens of Republican versus Democrat so common today. He saw worthy causes and shared humanity.
In Ali’s willingness to put principles ahead of partisanship, he showed us all the path to greatness.
There were many facets to Muhammad Ali’s greatness: his abilities as a boxer, his charisma as a public figure, his benevolence as a father and as a friend. All of these things made Ali great, but it was something else that made him the Greatest.
Ali was the Greatest because—as a debilitated yet unbroken champion in his later years—he pointed us to a greatness beyond ourselves, a greatness beyond even Ali. He pointed us to the greatness of God.
God raised up Ali to be the greatest fighter of all time. Yet He allowed Ali to wrestle with Parkinson’s Disease, an inescapable reminder that we are all mortal and that we are all dependent on God’s grace. Ali believed this himself. He once told me, God gave me this condition to remind me always that I am human and that only He is the Greatest.
Ali was an unsurpassed symbol of our universal dependence on the divine. He was the Greatest because he reminded us all who is truly Greatest: God, our Creator.
I am eternally grateful for my special bond with this special man, and for my friendship with his beloved wife Lonnie, who was his dedicated companion to the very end. I pray that Ali may now rest peacefully in the presence of the Greatest of all, even our God. Amen.
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