Why Ali’s star shines brightest on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

12:45 AM ET

LOS ANGELES — I’ve lived in Los Angeles for most of my life, but I never paid much attention to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The idea of kneeling down in the middle of a bustling sidewalk and taking a picture of a celebrity’s name etched into the ground as people bump into me never seemed that appealing.

But there was always one star and one story I’ve loved amongst the over 2,500 stars that line the sidewalks of that 15 block stretch in Hollywood.

There was only one star that had never been walked on.

Editor’s PicksFull coverage: Remembering Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali died at age 74. His life and his legacy left an unforgettable imprint on sports, society and culture.

The fearlessness of Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali was brash at a time when we expected our athletes to be humble — and he refused to give in to fear, writes Wallace Matthews.

1 Related

Muhammad Ali’s star is the only star that is not on the ground for millions of tourists and bootleg-costumed superheroes to carelessly walk over. Instead, it’s mounted on a wall next the Walk of Fame, just inside the Dolby Theatre — the home of the Academy Awards.

Ali had originally declined an invitation from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to get a star, because he didn’t want his name and what it represented disrespected by having it walked on by “people who have no respect for me.”

Muhammad Ali’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is the only one among thousands that does not lie on the sidewalk. It was the only way Ali would agree to the honor. Arash Markazi/ESPN

“I bear the name of our beloved prophet Mohammad and it is impossible that I allow people to trample over his name,” he said at the time.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce respected Ali’s wishes and decided that the 2,189th star would be the first and (so far) only star mounted …

continue reading in source espn.go.com