MLB players, managers remember Ali

On Friday, legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, “The Greatest of All Time,” passed away at age 74. Ali was one of the most iconic athletes in history, and his life impacted many, including players, managers and coaches throughout Major League Baseball. They shared their memories and stories of Ali, and their thoughts on his passing and his legacy.

Nationals manager Dusty Baker

“It’s a tremendous loss. Ali gave us all, especially young black men, a sense of pride and strength.”

On meeting Ali several times, including at the first Civil Rights Game in Cincinnati in 2009: “It was real cool. He was always a champ. He was always special. At that time, you hoped that he was able to talk. Earlier, especially when he was younger, you did most of the listening and he did most of that talking. That made it easy.”

Astros manager A.J. Hinch

On meeting Ali at the 1996 Olympics: “The scoreboard was fixated on him, and I remember how quiet it was. It felt like the entire world was watching this moment where you have the greatest boxer in the world, this historic figure, maybe the most recognizable athlete in the history of our time, kicking off what for us was a really special event. It’s burned into my brain as one of the highlights of my life.”

Marlins special assistant Andre Dawson

On his interactions with Ali, who once visited his elementary school class in Miami: “He touched a lot of lives. This is my own personal opinion: He is probably the most prolific athlete ever. You just think of …

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