Beginnings
Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky; Clay was named after his father (who was himself named for the Kentucky abolitionist, Cassius M. Clay). At age 12, he had his bicycle stolen, and he reported the fact to a local policeman (and boxing trainer), Joe Martin. Martin suggested that Clay learn to fight; under his guidance, Clay rapidly advanced through the youth ranks. A low-achiever academically, Clay won six Kentucky Golden Gloves while at high school, and was allowed to graduate, despite his poor grades. Presciently, his principal announced during a staff meeting about the issue that Clay would someday be "this school's claim to fame." Clay later joked about his lacklustre academic record saying, "I said I was the Greatest, not the smartest."

At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Clay won a gold medal as a light heavyweight boxer. After being refused service in a whites-only restaurant, disgusted Clay threw his gold medal into the Ohio River. He......

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Title: Muhmmad Ali Clay
Approximate Word Count: 2661
Approximate Pages: 11 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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