A significant number of the human race on planet Earth remember the lighting of the 1996 Olympic Flame Tower by Muhammad Ali in 1996. It's certainly a memory that's emblazoned on my memory—in slow-motion nonetheless—that was not only touching, it was incredibly exciting!
Many will remember that the Olympic Flame Tower was after the 1996 Olympic Games, and the Paralympic Games two weeks later (for which I was lucky to get tickets to the Opening Ceremonies and saw Master of Ceremonies Christopher Reeve, of whom I'd been a huge fan since his portrayal of Superman, and Liza Minelli, at the Opening Ceremonies), relocated not too far away from the Stadium—now Turner Field—to the corner of Capitol Avenue and Fulton Street.
"Still exuding nobility and stature" is what the announcers said of the surprise torch lighter that evening at the Opening Ceremonies of the 1996 Olympic Games. I still get goosebumps remembers Muhammad Ali's lighting of the Olympic Flame Tower...the world watching.
The Tower has recently undergone a refurbishing...it's been painted (bright shiny white with primary colors on the torch!) and now it's lit again. It's not lit every night, and I'm still not sure what the schedule is, but when you come across it, take a photo and post it...this is an incredibly unique piece of Atlanta history!
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| 1996 Olympic Flame Tower |
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| 1996 Olympic Flame Tower |
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| 1996 Olympic Flame Tower |
2 comments:
I haven't been there yet. Would like to some day.
I live in Atl and it is the ugliest torch ever used in the Olympics. An embarassment to Atlanta.
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