Opening Day Auction Closing May 9th
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/10/2015
In 1989, Bill Nordin wrote a letter to Muhammad Ali requesting a photo of the greatest boxer in history. In the letter, Nordin told Ali he was a devoted fan given Ali’s greatness as a fighter as well as the fact that he saw Ali as a man who cares about people. Nordin also stated he followed Ali’s career beginning in the Olympics and that he also wrote letters of protest when Ali was stripped of his title after his refusal to be drafted into the U.S. Army. Though the Olympics put Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, into the National spotlight, hopefully Nordin also followed the Champ when Clay won six Kentucky Golden Gloves titles, two national Golden Gloves titles, and an Amateur Athletic Union National Title prior to winning the Light Heavyweight gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. Nordin then referenced the fact that he saw Ali in person at a heavyweight fight in 1980 (Holmes-LeDoux) but could not get close enough to get his autograph.
How wonderful Nordin must have felt when he received an envelope from “Muhammad Ali Farms” at the end of 1989. The actual envelope, also included in the offering here, was postmarked December 26, 1989, and contained five (5) signed items from the man the boxing world simply calls ‘The Greatest.” The items include: 1) The original letter from Nordin signed and inscribed by Ali “Thank you Muhammad Ali 12-25-89”; 2) A signed photo of Ali signed and inscribed by Ali “To Bill Nordin from Muhammad Ali 12-25-89”; 3) A tract entitled “What They Say About the Quran” signed and inscribed by Ali “Muhammad Ali 12-25-89”; 4) A tract entitled “What They Say About Muhammad (PBUH)” signed by Ali; and 5) a tract entitled “Is Jesus Really God” signed and inscribed by Ali “To Bill Nordin From Muhammad Ali 12-25-89.”
A fantastic array of five signed pieces from Muhammad Ali, along with the original envelope in which they were sent, that gives a look into the personal side of the greatest heavyweight champion in boxing history and one of the most recognized sports figures of the past 100 years. All five (5) signed Muhammad Ali items come PSA/DNA Pre-Certified.