When the Louisville football team takes the field at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium against the No. 2 Florida State Seminoles on Saturday afternoon, they will be honoring the memory of one of the greatest and most influential athletes of all-time, local hero Muhammad Ali.
Advertisement
Ali rose to fame as a teenage boxer in Louisville before winning the gold medal as a light-heavyweight fighter in the 1960 Rome Olympics.
The same butterfly design was emblazoned beyond an end zone covering some 30 square feet. A commemorative coin, featuring team logos on one side and the butterfly logo on the other, will be presented to Louisville and FSU by Ali’s son Asaad during the pre-game coin toss.
“The Ali Family has been tremendous supporters of our program”, athletic director Tom Jurich said.
Ali passed away in June at the age of 74 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.
“They are treasured in our community and we wanted to properly thank them for everything they’ve meant to the city and the university”.
They also announced in the press release that over 3,000 shirts will be distributed before the game to students to wear.
Louisville’s athletics programs will continue to honor Ali by donating all of its community service hours for the upcoming season. Friday, it was revealed that the Cardinals will be wearing a decal to honor the late Muhammad Ali on the back of the lid.
Advertisement
The following two tabs change content below.
