Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Sports News

Former champ Ali gets honorary degree

|
|
 
  
Published: June 5, 2007 at 6:30 PM

PRINCETON, N.J., June 5 (UPI) -- Three-time heavyweight boxing champ Mohammad Ali was honored with an honorary doctorate of humane letters Tuesday at Princeton University's 260th graduation.

Ali, 65, who is debilitated by Parkinson's disease, made a surprise appearance on the Princeton campus, The (Newark, N.J.) Star-Ledger reported. University President Shirley Tilghman praised Ali as a humanitarian and one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Since retiring in 1981, Ali has championed causes from ending world hunger to fighting for elder care and children's rights. President George Bush awarded him the National Medal of Freedom in 2005.

Six others, including award-winning director and choreographer Twyla Tharp, also were awarded honorary degrees by Princeton's Board of Trustees.

Topics: George Bush, Mohammad Ali, Twyla Tharp
© 2007 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
Linsanity The Daytona 500 Cheerleaders of 2012
Additional Sports News Stories
1 of 27
Snigdha Nandipati of San Diego wins Finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee
View Caption
Snigdha Nandipati of San Diego, California watches confetti rain down as she wins the two-day Scripps National Spelling Bee championship, May 31, 2012, in National Harbor, Maryland. Nandipati successfully spelled the word .* guetapens *, meaning to lure or ambush. UPI/Mike Theiler
fark
The 21 absolute worst things in the world (not a slideshow). Bonus: #21
Egg-ception
How bad are things in Detroit? Even the fish are being murdered
Nineteen things that will drive your OCD self insane
Who were you in high school? Band geek? Emo chick? Math nerd? Deep-in-the-closet homophobe? Captain...
Today's mass mall shooting brought to you by Toronto, ON