The former heavyweight champ watches his grandson in person for the first time at the Nevada Division I state title game.
Muhammad Ali, accompanied by his daughter Rasheda Walsh (left) and sister-in-law Marilyn Williams, wanted to see his grandson play at least once during Bishop Gorman's possible championship season.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
Muhammad Ali, "The Greatest," made a surprise appearance at the Nevada Division I state football championships at
Damonte Ranch (Reno) Saturday afternoon.
Ali's grandson
Biaggio Ali Walsh is a 5-foot-9, 179-pound sophomore running back for
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) and according to his mother Rasheda Walsh, Ali's daughter, the former heavyweight champion wanted to see Biaggio play during a possible national championship season.
"He's watched him play in person on the freshman team, but this is the first time he's seen him on varsity," Rasheda said.
Ali, 72, flew into Reno Friday night and surprised the team and the crowd of approximately 3,500 fans at the game. Five family members wheeled Ali in 12 minutes before the game. He was seated in the front of the steel visitors' bleachers, draped in warm clothes. Few people seemed to notice.
At the start of the noon game against nearby
Reed (Sparks), weather was clear and in the low 50s.
Bishop Gorman (14-0) is a consensus No. 1 team in the country and only a loss or poor performance versus local team Reed could prevent them from a mythical national championship.
Biaggio, considered the fastest player on a very fast team, had rushed 45 times for 458 yards (10.2 average) and eight touchdowns entering the game.
See this
Beyond the X feature on Biaggio and his grandfather and see more photos of Muhammad Ali below.
Muhammad Ali with his daughter Rasheda Walsh, mother of Bishop Gorman running back Biaggio Ali Walsh.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
Muhammad Ali and sister-in-law Marilyn Williams watches Bishop Gorman, the possible 2014-15 national champion, in the state title game.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
