Chili Davis has a lot of fond memories of Muhammad Ali and he had a better-than-ringside vantage point for his favorite, which he was happy to talk about Saturday, hours after the boxing legend died at the age of 74.

Davis, the Red Sox hitting coach, was in high school in California in 1975 when he had an unlikely encounter with the champ during a short (and slightly risky) trip off campus one day.

“I went to Freemont High School in Los Angeles and there was this great Muslim bakery across the street. We really weren’t supposed to leave the school grounds during lunch unless we had a pass,’’ said Davis. “But there was a hole in the fence and we would sneak through to go the Muslim bakery. They made the best cookies, man. Big ol’ giant cookies.’’

On this particular visit, Davis got more than a big ol’ cookie. He got a big ol’ memory of a lifetime.

“I went over there to buy them and as I was in line, a whole entourage of guys walked in in suits and boom, there’s Muhammad Ali. The champ. The greatest,’’ said Davis. “He starts talking to the guy behind the counter and they’re chirping back and forth and my mouth was like down to my knee. I’m like, ‘That’s Muhammad Ali.’ He looks down and says, ‘Hey kid, how you doing?’ ’’

Davis was one of several members of the Red Sox organization who shared their memories of Ali before taking on the Blue Jays.

“Really sad to see him go. A great boxer. A great man. Stood up for what he believed in and had to pay a price for that,’’ Davis said, referencing Ali being stripped of his heavyweight title in 1967 for refusing to join the Army, citing religious beliefs. “But he bounced back, got back into boxing, and did what he does — took the belt again.’’

Red Sox manager John Farrell remembered watching Ali’s bouts on television as a kid and was struck by how his fights were more than just fights. They were events.

“The thing you remember most is, it’s like every big match he had had its own name, whether it’s ‘The Fight’ or the ‘Thrilla in Manila.’ ’’

David Ortiz said Ali created a legacy that will never be forgotten. The Sox slugger said Ali is admired and respected by younger generations because of his presence in and out of the ring.

“He means a lot to all of us historically,’’ said Ortiz. “His humanity and everything he has accomplished in his professional career and as a human being — it’s a lot of things.’’

Ortiz said he got to meet Ali when he visited the Red Sox clubhouse during one of Boston’s World Series runs, though he wasn’t sure which one.

Ortiz said those not familiar with Ali’s legacy should make it a point to do their homework and learn about his life.

“I think right now with all the ways people have to learn and get to know things, especially on a day like today, the day he passed away, the younger people that don’t know much about [him], they are going to be Googling his name and figuring things out,’’ Ortiz said.

Dustin Pedroia said he always enjoyed watching Ali’s highlights and that he got to meet him in Arizona a few years back.

“Pretty awesome,’’ was how the second baseman described the meeting.

Davis, 56, said Ali was groundbreaking not only for what he could do with the gloves on but what he could do when the microphone was on.

“His rhymes and his interviews — everybody went to his interviews,’’ said Davis, who called Ali “the Babe Ruth of boxing.’’

Davis also said attitude was another thing that set Ali apart.

“I came here from Jamaica in 1970 and that was right at the height of Ali’s greatness,’’ said Davis, “and he was the first person I ever heard talk smack and back it up. There was no one like him.

“There’s the Sugar Rays, the Mayweathers, but in the heavyweight division, to me there was no one like Muhammad Ali . . . You can talk about modern-day boxers, Mike Tyson or whoever, but Muhammad Ali, to me, was the greatest ever.’’

Jim McBride can be reached at james.mcbride@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @globejimmcbride.