Olympic history is full of surprising facts that seldom surface—and this is certainly one of them. On page 96 of his Olympic Memoirs, Baron Pierre de Coubertin notes that once the animosities of World War I forced the cancellation of the 1916 Berlin Olympic Games, a number of cities stepped up with offers to host the 1920 Games, these three among them.  Since Atlanta won the right to host the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games twenty-eight years ago today, it seemed like a good time to bring this quote to light.  Given these dates, you might say it took Atlanta 80-years to fulfill its Olympic dream. 

“Shortly afterwards, Cuba entered upon the scene. By now we had grown accustomed to the idea of the Sixth Olympiad coming and going without being celebrated but continuing to count on the list, as in ancient times. It was on the year 1920 that all aspirations were focused. Atlanta, Cleveland, and Philadelphia had all three promised the earth. The committee that had been set up in Havana was less lavish in its promises, more aware of the difficulties, but at the same time assured of the support of the government, including the head of the Republic, President Menocal.”