This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Much has been written about the extraordinary life and humanitarianism of Muhammad Ali in the wake of the former heavyweight champion's death.
But here's a personal tidbit that reveals even more about the man's character.
When my nephew, Jeff Stephens, was a precocious grade-schooler and avid sports fan in the 1980s, he embarked on an unusual hobby.
He would clip the cover of the weekly Sports Illustrated magazine, find a mailing address for the newsmaker on it, whether through an agent or promotional outfit, and send it off with a note identifying himself and asking that the cover be autographed and returned.
He did that for two years, sending out more than 100 requests. All but two (Arnold Schwarzenegger and Pete Rose) responded. Some went beyond just the autograph request.
He got a note from Kathy Ireland, who was on the swimsuit edition, telling him he was her boyfriend and signing with "xoxo."
He also received a note from Ali, along with the autographed cover from "The Greatest" dated July 25, 1988. It said: "Serve God. He is the goal, Love, Muhammad Ali."
—
New sibling act • Move over, Donny and Marie. There's another brother-sister act in Utah and the duo has a name almost as well-known as Osmond.
Got milk? Get ready for "Mike & Aimee's Winder-ful Variety Show," playing off the iconic Winder Dairy name.
Mike Winder, the former mayor of West Valley City and Republican candidate for House District 30, and his sister Aimee Winder Newton, a GOP member of the Salt Lake County Council, will host the variety show-fundraiser Aug. 30 at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center in West Valley City.
It will raise money for the "Utah Values PAC" the siblings recently formed for their own campaigns and to help other like-minded candidates, said Newton.
U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, is doing a musical comedy number, while Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams, a Democrat, will bring his guitar and perform a self-composed song. U.S. Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, and state Sen. Deidre Henderson, R-Spanish Fork, will perform a musical duet, and Republican Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes will rap.
Newton said GOP state Reps. Francis Gibson, Mike Schultz, Mike McKell, Craig Hall and others will perform a riverdance. Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, who is in a band, will do a number, and several mayors in the county will join together for a "Mayors' Rap."
McAdams is the only Democrat scheduled to be in the lineup.
But he always has Republicans perform at his fundraisers, Newton said, so "he owes me."
The emcee will be House Speaker Greg Hughes, R-Draper. Perhaps he could do some Donald Trump impressions.
—
Two for one • Speaking of McAdams' fundraisers, Adam Gardner, a former aide to Bishop and Newton, is a Republican candidate for House District 43 after defeating incumbent Earl Tanner at the Salt Lake County GOP convention.
Like many Republicans, he attended a fundraiser for McAdams last week, which again featured Hughes as the emcee.
While Gardner willfully participated in an event for one Democrat, he ended up making an unintentional contribution to another Democrat.
Gardner posted on his Facebook page about a $30 parking ticket he received while he was attending McAdams' fundraiser in downtown Salt Lake City.
"Went to a fundraiser for Ben McAdams tonight," he wrote, "but ended up donating to Mayor Jackie Biskupski instead."
—
What's a living wage? • Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Weinholtz says in a campaign flyer that, if elected, he intends "to create better jobs that pay a living wage."
He also is advertising for campaign field workers, noting the job will be 40 hours a week and pay $2,000 a month — $12.50 an hour.