DETROIT, Mich. - The legendary boxer and well-known philanthropist Muhammad Ali was announced as the recipient of the 4th AAU Gussie Crawford Lifetime Achievement Award in a ceremony on Thursday, November 12 at the Detroit Athletic Club. Khaliah Ali Wertheimer accepted the award virtually on behalf of her father.

Due to observance of proper safety protocols, only a handful of people were allowed in attendance, having to follow strict COVID mitigation measures including masks wearing, socially distanced seating arrangements, with numerous hand sanitizing stations throughout the room.
 
The night was also a star-studded affair featuring Dr. Roger J. Goudy, AAU President and CEO, and Kristin Ritter, President of the historic Detroit Athletic Club. The keynote speaker for the night was Detroit Police Officer, Olympic gold medalist and longtime AAU Track and Field member, Darnell Hall. He emphasized the importance of youth sports and investing in our children so that they can have a better and brighter future.
 
Hall was later joined by Detroit Tigers play-by-play announcer Matt Shepard who moderated a panel of recognizable Detroit names such as, Central Michigan Assistant Softball Coach, Sara Driesenga; Senior President and General Manager of Fox Sports, Greg Hammaren; and Vice President and Director of Athletics at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Scott Wetherbee. Six-time Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee also made a surprise appearance virtually to personally honor her longtime friend, Gussie Crawford, for her lasting contribution to amateur sports.
 
This year’s AAU Gussie Crawford Award recipient, Muhammad Ali, was a boxer, philanthropist and social activist who is universally regarded as one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century. Ali became an Olympic gold medalist in 1960 and the world heavyweight boxing champion in 1964. Following his suspension for refusing military service, Ali reclaimed the heavyweight title two more times during the 1970s, winning famed bouts against Joe Frazier and George Foreman along the way. He retired from boxing in 1981 with a 56-6 record and was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984.

While he wasn’t winning titles in the ring, he was out in the community giving back. Traveling across continents, he hand-delivered food and medical supplies to those in need. At home, he visited countless numbers of soup kitchens and hospitals and advocated new laws protecting children. In schools across America, he taught children the virtues of tolerance and understanding through his book HEALING.

Ali was the recipient of countless awards, including Amnesty International Lifetime Achievement Award, the United Nations Messenger of Peace, the International Ambassador of Jubilee 2000 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Muhammad’s dream to share his inspiration with the world is being realized through the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The Ali Center appeals to the heart, spirit, and imagination. It inspires both children and adults to form new commitments in their lives in areas of personal growth, integrity, and respect for others, and it gives them the tools to make these commitments happen.
Muhammad Ali passed away on June 3, 2016 at the age of 74.
 
The AAU Gussie Crawford Lifetime Achievement Award, which was historically presented annually at the AAU James E. Sullivan Award ceremony, was presented for the first time at the celebrated Detroit Athletic Club. The award was established to honor Gussie Crawford, voted the first female president of AAU, as a trailblazer in amateur sports. The award is intended to recognize those athletes whose efforts, both on and off their playing surface on the national or international stage, have paved the way for great change in amateur sports.
 
Visit aaugussiecrawford.org for more information.