Ali is touring the Cactus League in Arizona and met with the White Sox on Tuesday and Brewers on Wednesday. While Parkinson’s disease has severly hampered Ali’s ability to communicate, the visit was not lost on major league players.
“It’s pretty special,” White Sox infielder Gordon Beckham said. “Every time you meet him, it’s something different, and it’s a really cool experience.”
Ali visited the two clubs on behalf of Athletes for Hope, a foundation that encourages professional athletes to give back.
White Sox general manager and friend of Ali, Kenny Williams, presented the living legend with a jersey reading “Champ,” along with the No. 40, commemorating the 40th anniversary of Ali’s fight with Joe Frazier. The champ showed that the Frazier rivalry is still there, jumping at the mere mention of Frazier’s name.
The visit wasn’t lost on White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. The outspoken manager summed up what everyone was thinking in a way that only Guillen could.
“Too bad Ali couldn’t [expletive] talk,” Guillen told Yahoo. “That would be amazing.”
Photo from MLB.com video
