Crimson Red Sports

Q. Whose idea was it to have the Olympic torch carried from Greece to the Olympic location and what year did this tradition begin?

A. Adolf Hitler, 1934.

I was watching a documentary on THC about the planned super city that Hitler was going to build. The stadium that was built in Germany for the 1934 Olympics was discussed and that it was Hitler's idea for the torch relay. Thought it was interesting that such a popular tradition was the brain child of one of the world's most notorious mass murderers.

and here I was thinking it happened in 1936    :(

My bad, X. It was the 1936 Olympics. They were discussing that while building the stadium in 1934, he came up with the idea.

# for the catch.

I just remember Jessie O running away with the thing in 36'
wait ! I remember reading and hearing about it  , wasn't actually there .

the part I found really interesting was the German lady movie maker trying to push
their racial views using the Olympics as the draw ...
but when the brown dude won all those medals I found it somewhat ironic ...
the torch relay was one thing good that came out of those games though , thanks for reminding me ... #2u2   

Yeah, they also talked about Jessie Owens and how the German propaganda machine tried to downplay his success. But, they interviewed the German who ran the torch into the stadium and he was quick to point out that J.O. was the "hero" of the Olympics, even though Germany won the overall medal count.

 #+

I have driven around the state of Alabama while employeed by a certain company. One place I remember driving by was Oakville Alabama, the birth place of Mr. Jesse Owens.

There is a sign right off highway# 157 going northwest away from Cullman towards the Tri-Cities areas of Sheffield, Florence, and Muscle Shoals.

Sign indicates Mr. Jesse Owens birthplace and his competetion in the 1936 Olympics.

 8)

Mary Lou Retton was cuter. Where was she from?

@2: Some friends and I actually won a trivia contest at a local restaurant by getting your very question right in the final round.

@Coach Crisp:  If you follow the sign out in Oakville, there's a little memorial and park set up in Jesse Owens' honor.

When Jesse when to Ohio State, he didn't receive a scholarship (because he was black no doubt), but they did find his father work.  Sounds like an NCAA violation to me, but the statute of limitations is likely up on that one.

 #+

It was before you posted the question here, but to be completely honest, it was a bit of a guess on our parts.

I knew Owens did the medal winning but I didn't know he came from Alabama. RTR!

I believe he only lived here until around age 7 when his family moved northward for better opportunities.