Minneapolis businessman and former Gophers golfer Harvey Mackay was one of 350 guests who attended Muhammad Ali’s 70th birthday party in Louisville last month. Mackay, a New York Times best selling author, met Ali years ago when he visited the legendary former heavyweight champion at his home in Michigan.
“He loves magic and I did some of my best tricks for him,” Mackay told Sports Headliners. “That forged the relationship.”
It’s a relationship that includes Ali’s wife Lonnie and Mackay’s spouse Carol Ann. The couples live within about seven minutes of one another in the Phoenix area. They frequently go out to dinner together.
Perhaps the most famous personality in the world, Ali’s speech and mobility are limited by Parkinson’s disease. Mackay admires his friend’s courage in living with the disease. “He never complains,” Mackay said. “I know he’s in pain and not feeling good.”
Ali has been admired for years not only for his fame in the ring, but also for his work on behalf of charities and the graciousness with which he treats others. “His eyes sparkle and pop when a young person approaches him,” Mackay said. “He will take a picture with anybody.”
At Ali’s party in Louisville Mackay saw another friend, coach John Calipari of the No. 1 ranked Kentucky Wildcats. Calipari asked Mackay to give a motivational talk to his team later this year to help inspire Kentucky’s bid for the NCAA title. “I want to do it,” Mackay said. “I am just not sure of my schedule.”
Mackay’s latest book is The Mackay MBA of Selling in the Real World. Like his previous best sellers the new book not only includes many personal stories about famous newsmakers like Ali but also everyday people with interesting experiences. Mackay said for years he’s kept files with headings like creativity, time management and motivation that document business and life lessons.
The daily exercise has helped Mackay write his well-known books including Swim with the Sharks. “A person’s life equals the total sum of his or her experiences,” he said.