Muhammad Ali Training Camp Original Door with Handwritten Poem by Ali. This is truly an amazing piece of sports history: a wooden door from Muhammad Ali's Deer Lake Training Camp, which features a handwritten poem from the "Greatest of All Time" himself.

Recognizing the importance of the door and the handwritten poem, Guernsey's worked with the owner to remove it from the famous training camp in Deer Lake, Pennsylvania in 2003 and preserved for posterity. The three-time Heavyweight Champion of the World once owned the camp, which he used as his home base in preparing for his bouts from the late 1960s through the early 1980s. In addition to boxing, Ali was recognized for his contributions to the world of poetry.

It was a sober time at Deer Lake when Ali learned of the death of a dear friend. With pen in hand, he recorded his thoughts in poetic form on this wooden door inside his gym: "Bub / All the wealth in the world cannot buy a friend / Or pay for the loss off [SIC?] one!!! / Ali."

The poem is written in blue ballpoint ink, front and center in the middle of the door, which features four windows at the top. "Vitamins" is painted in yellow below the windows. The door also features numerous phone numbers and various notations inscribed upon in it in a variety of inks, markers, and pencils, potentially of some importance to the Champ and training staff. The locking doorknob is still attached. The heavy wood door is 1 5/8in. thick, and measures 79 1/2 x 35 5/8in.

BIDDERS PLEASE NOTE: This lot has been included in this auction because of its relevance to other items available; however, it does not come from Mr. Leifer's collection.

RESERVE

Please note the terms being used to describe photographic prints:

Vintage print: Printed no more than 3-5 years after the negative was made.
Older print: Also referred to by collectors as "printed later." Refers to a print that was made more than 3-5 years after the original negative was made, but not within the 21st century.
Modern print: Refers to a print made in the 21st century from an earlier, 20th century negative.