Ali-Spinks Fight: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A motion picture film of the first meeting between Muhammad Ali and Leon Spinks for the Heavy Weight Championship of the World 1978. It consists of a single reel of color 16mm acetate film with optical sound. The film shows footage of the fight which took place at the Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: February 15, 1978
• Created by: The Big Fights Inc., American, founded ca. 1961
• Subject of: Muhammad Ali, American, 1942 - 2016
• Subject of: Leon Spinks, American, born 1953
• Owned by: D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
• Type: sound films
• Type: color films (visual works)
• Type: 16mm (photographic film size)
• Medium: acetate film
• Dimensions: Duration: 17 Minutes
• Dimensions: Length (Film): 600 Feet
• Place used: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
• Place filmed: Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Athletes
• Topic: Boxing
• Topic: Film
• Object number: 2017.55.46.1a
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Transferred from the DC Public Library
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.