I Am the Greatest!

A chance encounter at Andrews leads to a memorable experience for Dan Clark.

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Muhammad Ali truly was my hero, and I would have given anything to meet him.

Years later, in 1988, I had just finished speaking to the students of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. I was in the Union Building signing books when I overheard some students talking about seeing Muhammad Ali on campus.

I was so excited I could hardly ask where. They informed me that he was gone, but it was no big deal because he lived there and visited the school often. I immediately excused myself and asked the two gentlemen who were driving me around to grab a camera and take me to Ali’s home. They told me I was fooling myself if I thought I could meet him. They stopped at the big white wall and giant iron gate at the edge of a long, curving driveway. I got out and walked the hundred yards to his beautiful home. His eighty-eight acres had previously belonged to the Chicago gangster Al Capone, and “Muhammad Ali Farms,” as Ali called it, was an amazing sight.

With my heart pounding, I took a deep breath and knocked on the front door. A beautiful woman answered. I knew from photographs that she was his lovely wife. She asked, “May I help you?” I said, “Yes ma’am. Is Muhammad in?”

She asked, “May I tell him who is calling?” Sheepishly, I replied, “Sure, Dan Clark.”

She walked away, and within seconds, an imposing six-foot- three-inch, 225-pound world champion, world peace ambassador, advocate of human rights, living legend, and idol filled the entire doorway. 

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