Cleveland native son and global icon, Don King turns 86

More than 100 years ago inventor Garrett A. Morgan and noted businessman W.O. Walker founded the Call & Post, Harry Alexander and John H. Bustamante kept it alive, but it was Cleveland’s native son Don King who saved it and continues to preserved it.

During the week that arguably the most famous Clevelander of them all will celebrate his 86th birthday on August 20th, Don King is actively involved as publisher of the Call & Post.

The greatest boxing promoter of all time, a man who is on a first name basis with United States Presidents and international leaders throughout the world, now dedicates his focus and energy on educating and informing African Americans and the many readers of the Call & Post about matters far more important than any fight he has ever promoted.

King, who has been hailed as crackling bright, brilliant and as intelligent as anyone has been penning ‘Help Save America-Help Save The World’ column in the Call & Post for the past two years.

The column addresses a variety of subjects from a documented historical perspective that is stimulating and enlightening.

While tackling issues of race, gender, politics and the threat of nuclear crisis, King often awakens the voice of our late great President John F. Kennedy, civil rights pioneer Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as that of women rights pioneer Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

Today, Don King is a steadfast advocate for women rights, justice, equality, liberty, freedom and peace, but he also maintains a boxing stable of potential champions.

Eighty-six years ago the city of Cleveland gave birth to a numbers runner, who ultimately evolved into one of America’s most savvy negotiators and businessman, but who would have thought that he’d also become greatest forward thinkers of our time.

King was responsible for the boom of closed circuit television during the Muhummad Ali era, pay per view television during the Mike Tyson era and its was his vision that brought about the arrival of both HBO and SHOWTIME cable-TV giants, when he created KingVision.

He has created millionaires out of more poverty stricken fighters than anyone in the history of the sport of boxing, he graces all of boxing’s prestigious hall of fame and American cities boast streets signs with his name.

Don King’s influence expands beyond the sport of boxing, politics and the world.

More than 20 years ago he was the first and then only sponsor for tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams long before they ever won a Grand Slam.

One might imagine, how did a boy from the Cleveland ghetto rise beyond the abyss and onto the great heights that Don King has ascended ?

‘Only in America’ ---‘Only in America!’