A-Rod recalls meeting Ali: 'One of my greatest thrills'

You can have all the money and fame in the world, but meeting "The Greatest" was always a humbling experience.

New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez, one of the great ball players of this or any generation, was left in awe when he met Muhammad Ali. Rodriguez paid tribute to the iconic fighter, who died Friday at age 74, by sharing a photo of their meeting at the 2004 All-Star Game in Houston. The photo, quite appropriately, bares Ali's signature.

"He always had something funny to say," Rodriguez told Newsday's Erik Boland on Saturday. "I posted a picture today of him. I was so nervous when I went up to him and talked to him, and then he said, 'Here, you punch me and I'll punch you.' I was just a young lad then, and I was nervous and excited, and it's a moment I’ll never forget."

Related - Watch: Muhammad Ali's classic All-Star Game appearance