'The Greatest' comes to Bloomington
One of 'The Greatest,' most flamboyant, outspoken athletes of the 20th century was humbled this past weekend by a man half his size. Muhammad Ali visited Bloomington to join His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama in the opening ceremonies of The Chamtse Ling, an interdenominational temple built by the Tibetan Cultural Center. Joined by daughter Hana, this was the first meeting between Ali, a Muslim, and His Holiness, a Budhist. "He was humbled to meet the Dalai Lama," Hana said. She explained how her father is an advocate of peace and a supporter of the Dalai Lama's beliefs in peace -- a conviction he began to show in 1966, when he declared himself ineligible for the military draft based on his Islamic principles. His decision caused a major backlash against Ali across the nation as well as in the boxing world.
