Frank Koza Collection > SERIES I: Newsfilm > SUBSERIES II: Sports

Muhammad Ali 4/11/7/76

Transcript (Download)

Hold it now, you don't want to go inside.

Anything inside, we're staying out here.

It's not crossing picket lines.

Mr.

Ford didn't cross the other night.

Management hasn't done anything, you nor these people.

But as the world's heavyweight champion, it seems to me that you ought to be on the side of labor.

I don't know what you're talking about.

You shouldn't go inside and do no interview.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Well, I'm telling you, champ, you shouldn't go inside and do no interview.

Chicago's...

He's a champ, not a chump.

Call it injustice or whatever, and it's just a few people.

See them cheering already? I'd rather them cheer me than boo me.

He's a champ, not a chump.

He's a champ, not a chump.

He's a champ, not a chump.

He's a champ, not a chump.

He's a champ, not a chump.

He's a champ, not a chump.

He's a champ, not a chump.

He's a champ, not a chump.

Alley had come to appear on NBC's sports program Grandstand.

He was supposed to trade insults with European boxing champ Richard Dunn, the man he fights in May.

The question was whether he'd cross the picket lines at NBC and show his contempt for the high principles of organized labor.

Well, Alley claimed he didn't even know there was a strike on at NBC.

This sounded a bit odd since the small army of public relations men and aides who arrived with him did know and cautioned him not to go through with it.

Among them, his friend, State Senator Charles Chu.

Alley went inside and got the lowdown from up above from an NBC executive.

This apparently put a whole new complexion on his intended visit.

Alley demured and walked out, refusing to appear on NBC's Grandstand.

Was this merely the champ's own Grandstand staged for the media, or was it another blow struck for the laboring man? Clearly, the freezing pickets outside thought the latter.

But there remained a wee bit of skepticism in the other spectators, among them yours truly, Jack Smith, Eyewitness News.

Identifier
F.2012-03-1425
Date Of Production
April 11 1976
Abstract
Muhammad Ali is shown walking out of a scheduled appearance on NBC's Grandstand to demonstate his support for the NABET strikers.
Description
This scene depicts Muhammad Aliarriving, via his tourbus, at NBC's facilities at Merchandise Mart (at 325 N. Wells, Chicago). Eyewitness News' Jack Smith provides a voiceover describing that Muhammad Ali was scheduled for an appearance on NBC's sports program Grandstand, where he planned to trade insults with European-boxing champ Richard Dunn, who he will fight on May 24, 1976. NABET strikers are shown outside of the building. Jack Smith describes that Muhammad Ali was advised by his public-relation aids to side with labour and not cross the picket line to do the appearance. After entering the building and talking with an NBC executive about the strike, Muhammad Ali is shown walking out. He decided not to follow through with the appearance. Strikers are elated and began to chant "He's a champ, not a chump!"

On March 31, 1976 the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET) union began a strike against NBC/ABC networks ithat lasted 7 weeks (until May 24, 1976). Prompted by the expiration of a previous bargaining agreement that had not been met with a new contract agreement, 2,000 NABET members walk off the job at NBC, across New York, Washington, Cleveland, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. NBC continued operating its facilities with nonstriking personnel. Incidents of sabotage at NBC facilities prompted NBC to refuse union employees access, NABET thus called a "lock out." During the strike NABET asked that many planned broadcasts be postponed, at risk of "crossing the picketline." 
Run Time
0:03:20
Format
16mm
Extent
120 feet
Color
Color
Sound
Mag Stripe
Reel/Tape Number
1/1
Has Been Digitized?
Yes
Language Of Materials
English
Element
Trims and Outs
Genre
Journalism
Political
Sports
Form
Outtakes
Subject
Labor unions
Strikes
Sports
Boxing
Related Collections
SUBSERIES II: Sports

Related Places
North America ➜ United States ➜ Illinois ➜ Chicago

Main Credits
Koza, Frank (is filmmaker)

Participants And Performers
Ali, Muhammad (is participant)

 
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