N Ancient Days, When The Games Were Held In ...

N ANCIENT DAYS, WHEN THE GAMES WERE HELD IN ATHENS, THEY KEPT A FIRE LIT THRU OUT THE ENTIRE GAMES. WHEN THE FIRST OF THE MODERN OLYMPICS BEGAN, THE ORGANIZERS DECIDED THAT THEY NEEDED THE OLYMPIC TORCH. IN 1936, AT THE BERLIN GAMES, UNDER HITLER, FOR THE FIRST TIME, THEY HAD A PROCESSION, BRINGING THE FIRE FROM THE ORIGINAL PLACE, ATHENS TO THE PLACE OF THE GAMES. THIS BEGAN A TRADITION THAT IS STILL KEPT TODAY. LIGHTING THE OLYMPIC TORCH IS A GREAT HONOR, AND IT IS THE CEREMONIAL BEGINNING OF THE GAMES. IN THE GAMES IN ATLANTA, MOHAMMAD ALI WAS GIVEN THAT HONOR. THE OLYMPIC TORCH IS MAJOR DEAL.

IN 1976, THE OLYMPIC GAMES WERE HELD IN MONTREAL. The Olympic Flame was "electronically" transmitted via satellite from Athens to Ottawa, by means of an electronic pulse derived from the actual burning flame. From Ottawa, it was carried by hand to Montreal. After a rainstorm doused the Olympic flame a few days after the games had opened, an official relit the flame using his cigarette lighter. Organizers quickly doused it again and relit it using a backup of the original flame.

CATCH THIS, THE PROUD OLYMPIC TORCH WAS RELIT, BY A BIC LIGHTER. FOR MOST OF US, AS LONG AS THE TORCH IS LIT, WHO CARES, BUT TO THE OLYMPICS, IT IS A MAJOR DEAL.