I was once playing cards with men I was in charge of on a train going to Ft. Benning. I saw 4 blacks for 2 days who played cards too, over the aisle from me at a table. This I suppose was the day room on the train where passengers could chat or engage in card games. Blacks I had no way to know who they were. I later learn from a Black after we got to Ft. Benning who had been one I was in charge of who told me the blacks were: 1. Cassius Clay 2. Clays brother 3. Clays brothers wife. The black I was in charge of made the foursome. After getting out of the Army, Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali. My question is do any of you wonder why he was ashamed of his names given to him by his parents? Will you please give me your opinion to my questions? Some may wonder why I did not know of all the men I was in charge off, so let me explain. At Fort Ord 143 men, or in that general area, at least more than 140 men, were on a list going to Ft. Benning. I had been in charge of around 60 men at Ft. Ord. My name is very near the end of the alphabet and of course way down the list of men on the orders. I noted myname had one of these. * I checked to learn why. I noted at the end the * had the explanation Group Leader Nobody asked me if I wanted the job. Nobody even told me I had the job. Nobody told me what the job means. I suppose they all assumed since I graduated from the Army leadership Academy and had during two training sessions, been a leader, I would figure it out. I had no way to know all of the men. Some I did know pretty well. Some I knew on sight but did not know names. Ok, now you know why one black told me who Clay was. I recall the black man came from Michigan. Gosh, maybe my memory has faded since a few years back I still recalled his last name. I will try to recall it later. So this is a poll. I hope I do not get lied to. I am willing to read any explanation you offer. I hope to leverage this by trying to help you with answers.
You seem confused Robert. Quite confused. Cassius Clay officially changed his name in 1964, though he claims to have privately done so some years earlier. He was not drafted until 1966 and did not serve in the military. That is why he was banned from boxing. It is actually quite a famous event. He initially said his name was 'Cassius X' - according to the Nation of Islam a rejection of the 'slave name' given to Africans by their masters. Indeed, there is some stomach churning footage from early in his boxing career of several of the men in the Louisville syndicate who managed him. One of them was also called Clay, and the 'good ole boys' were merrily speculating that one of his ancestors likely owned one of Cassius Clay's ancestors. That alone would be enough for any self respecting person to consider changing their name. It is pretty common for religious converts to adopt a name signifying their new faith. There is a reason why we refer to 'Christian' names. Converts to Islam & Buddhism do it too and I'm sure they are not the only ones.
What has you confused? I said he played cards in a foursome for 2 days at the table across the train aisle from me. I said at that time I had no clue who he was. I got home from the Army early in 1964. I also stated he changed his name after I returned from Germany. So where are you confused? I did not mention him being banned from boxing. Again why are you confused? Did you vote? I did not check yet. Will check on your vote. However why bring me up since I had not brought you up. I did offer all the right to fully comment, vote and explain. Thanks for your effort. Do you believe he changed names since it is common for blacks to change names who blame it on Christians? I am open to your corrections.
I recall that Ali changed his name because Clay was his slave name, and also because of his religion. I though people of part-African heritage are generally called African-Americans?
I never said he was in the Army. I said he got on the Train. But he was not in the Army. Do you think trains are only for 140 + army men? He got on at Los Angeles and I believe he left the train at Houston. My men all got off at Ft. Benning. Also with me was an Army Lt who got off at Mobile Alabama. Since the Army always assigns an officer over the enlisted, he was technically my boss. But he and I ate together and he simply did not get in my way. Actually as a rule I simply allowed the men to be as other passengers. The one exception was two extremely beautiful girls got on the train at New Orleans I think and after I spotted them, I put off limits the car they were in from my Army guys. Lord how I wish I could have gone with them to Florida. I was not as bold as I later was so I did not invite them to my private personal room on the car. God, now I recall the name of the black who told me it was Cassius Clay. Kato was his first name. Been too long for me to recall his last name. When Kato got to Ft. Benning he said he was broke. He managed to get his close to new Chevrolet Impala convertible to Ft. Benning and I do not recall how he pulled that off since he was on the train with me and we came from CA. He told me some family member drove his Convertible from MI to Ft Benning. He asked me to put in gasoline in his car so we could drive up to where the Army parachute jumpers were practicing. They were not using the Airborne jump parachutes. They had those kind they could steer well. After we watched them jump a few times, I said .. lets to into Columbus GA and look the town over. HE was scared to death and told me no. I said why not. He said we both would get beat up. Anyway I never found out if that was true or not. He simply refused to drive off Ft. Benning.
Well, when I ran into Clay that time on the train, our president and other politicians and the media said negro. I only said black to please the forum Democrats. Hell I see Democrats called Dems too yet I use the actual name for them. Cato was the black guy in the Army with me and I don't recall him saying African American at all to me.
You have a point since in the Army, at Ft. Ord in CA, Dave Washington a pro football player for Dallas was my assistant. Dave was swell for me to work with. I sold a home here in CA to Anthony Washington so that would be a good slave name too. Anthony played for 3 years at Pittsburgh for the steelers and when I met him he played for the Washington Redskins. We met due to my selling his older brother his home in CA too. I knew the parents who were very nice people. Funny how the only clients with that last name I knew, bought and sold homes using me and the other was my assistant in the Army. Both professional football players. Dave and i worked out at the gym at Ft. Ord and one day there, he introduced me to a player on the 49ers team. At that time, the pro teams made sure the draft did not take the players by putting in their contracts they must do 6 months duty in the armed forces so they escaped the draft. Dave's hometown in CA was Oroville but Anthony's hometown was Fresno Ca. Dave played for USC and Anthony for Fresno State and also Cal Berkeley.
Are you living in an enclave of blacks? I run into one black off and on during the week. Mostly I am in contact with Indians from India and Chinese.
Cassius Clay NEVER SERVED INTHE MILITARY,he refused to be inducted on April 29,1967.He was stripped of his boxing license and titles and not allowed to box again until 1970.He was tried and convicted of refusing draft induction fined $10,000 and sentenced to 5 years in Federal prison.His conviction was reversed in 1971.And that's the facts Jack!!
You are still confused and I have said all I plan to. I gave you some polite and well reasoned responses, which is more than a post referring to people as 'a black' deserves. I have no interest in voting. I suggest you carefully re-read your own OP if you want to understand why people think you think Muhammed Ali was in the military. I also suggest you carefully read your posts before you hit the 'post reply' button. They might make more sense. I'm done here.
He was however a passenger on the train I and my troops were on. Why can't Democrats actually read what is said rather than what floats in their heads? This makes at least two of them so misguided in one short period of time. By the way, I am the OP so I know precisely what took place on that long train trip. We spent days on that one train trip listening to the clacking wheels on the tracks.
I bet you think in my story that his brothers wife also was in the Army don't you? I mentioned the brother. Bet you think he was also in the Army or that I said he was. Funny stuff you Democrats. I am well aware of what fate fell to Clay/Ali. Once Cato explained him to me, I knew more about the boxer. I hoped some of you might ask me for impressions of him. But Democrats focus on two words. Army (me and Cato) vs Ali and his brother who had his wife at the table also playing cards. This mistake by Democrats so like Democrats. Read something and their mind blanks out and they ignore the rest of what is said. Not one of you inquired about Clay/Ali but decided he was in the Army for a very odd reason. I was home and out of the army by 1967. I got back in January of 1964 and back in Sunny CA by early February. Thanks for telling me his story that I know very well. Not one of you asked me about my impression of him playing pinochle on the train for the few days he also was on. Funny why you never showed any interest. Rather you went into show off mode telling me what I know.
Good grief. No poop sherlock. I am annoyed that every Democrat took the path you took. This happens a huge number of times. Always by Democrats. Man you people have short attention spans.
I spoke of his brother and his wife playing cards. Did you also believe they were in the Army at Ft. Benning too? When I write, I am clear. But you all proved to me your level of reading skills are perhaps at the 2nd grade level. By claiming he was in the Army with me proves you did not follow the story. Again,. will you Democrats please end the commentary Ali was in the Army? As you admit, he was not in the Army nor did I say he and his family members were. I can't tell about his brother after that but I have nothing to report on the brother and his wife. Not one of you commented on his brother and that guys wife playing cards. None of you noticed that. Another assumption you in error made. That was a Southern Pacific passenger train with a lot more passengers on it than those of us then on active duty in the Army.
Ali's reason for changing his name was the exact same as Malcolm X's, and just as widely - and loudly - documented. If you didn't get it the first time (you were a legal adult, after all), I hardly think a review half a century later is going to clarify things for you. You missed the train, and some things will always remain a mystery for you.
There is only one way to read this sentence and there is no context in the OP that alters it. Getting angry with people for reading something the way it is written is not a good look. Better to just admit it was poorly written and unclear.
I hope this all the time. Surely there is at least one honest Democrat who can stick to a point that does not include making attacks on me. But with you, that is not going to be you. Ali for some reason decided to hell with Jesus and in comes Muhammed. I know that.
