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Cassius Clay - Aged 12
A 16x20 Inch Black & White Photograph
of a 12 years old Cassius Clay. It was at this age that
Cassius Clay, as he was then known, became interested in
boxing. His bicycle was stolen and he reported the theft
to the nearest policeman, Joe Martin, who happened to be
a boxing coach. The officer Joe Martin asked Cassius if
he could fight, and Cassius said no, so Martin invited him
to come to the gym and learn how to box, so he could get
pay back on the bicycle thief. Signed Cassius Clay in Blue
Sharpie and comes complete with Online Authentics Certificate.
Nice clear Signature Exclusive to Boxing-Memorabilia.Com
and VERY RARE!. You will NOT see this signed Photograph
Anywhere else.
Cassius Clay
SOLD
On an October afternoon in 1954, a 12-year-old Cassius Clay
attended an annual convention of the Louisville Service
Club at the Columbia Auditorium with a friend. He arrived
at the black merchant bazaar upon a new $60 red and white
Schwinn. However, after Cassius Clay and his friend indulged
themselves with free popcorn and ice cream they left the
auditorium to find that their bicycles had been stolen.
A tearful Clay was directed to the basement of the auditorium
where a policeman was manning the boxing gym.
Joe Martin listened to young Cassius boast
about a statewide hunt for his precious bike and heard the
threats he was making to the thief if he was ever caught.
After a while, Martin asked of Clay, “Well, do you
know how to fight?” Clay quipped back, “No,
but I’d fight anyway.” Martin’s best advice
to the hot-tempered preteen was to come back around the
gym and learn to fight. “Why don’t you learn
something about fighting,” Martin suggested, “before
you go and make any hasty challenges?”
Young Cassius Clay dedicated himself to boxing
with fervor unmatched by other young boxers. Indeed, it
was his only activity. As a teenager, he never worked. He
boxed and trained. He had 108 amateur bouts. According to
Joe Martin, Clay set himself apart from the other boys by
two things: He was "sassy," and he outworked all
the other boys.
