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On February 13, 1988, the eyes of the world turned to Calgary because the XV Olympic Winter Video games opened. The opening ceremonies packed 60,000 spectators into McMahon Stadium; two billion individuals watched on TV; and there have been between 5,000 and 6,000 performers, 1,000 pigeons, lots of of horses and aerobatic jet teams. Many tickets have been priced at $70. The price of the ceremonies amounted to $12 million.
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The then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney stated the occasion was breathtaking and some of the lovely he had ever seen, including: “I’ve seen many ceremonies. I’ve by no means seen something as shifting and poignant as a result of they’re all primarily non-professionals.” Hundreds of the ceremony performers have been on a regular basis Calgarians.
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Some secret or lesser identified tales from day one of many 1988 Video games?
- Properly, for one, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau additionally attended the opening ceremonies with an unknown lady. A reporter who noticed him depart requested Trudeau what he considered the present, to which Trudeau responded, “It was lovely.”
- Two Olympic flag raisers have been stored out of the stadium for not carrying their correct credentials. Officers finally cleared up the matter and the 2 have been capable of take part within the ceremonies.
- 4 uniformed members of the Calgary police tactical squad – who carry rifles – have been additionally denied entry resulting from an absence of credentials, till a safety supervisor may set up their identities.
- The flag bearer for Austria — Leonhard Inventory — missed his bus from Canmore Village to the stadium, jeopardizing his participation. A helicopter was dispatched to choose him up in Canmore and he was transported to the helipad at Prince’s Island Park, the place two metropolis law enforcement officials have been capable of get him to the stadium in time.
- Winds gusted as much as 60 km/h on the day of the Opening Ceremony, resulting in the heartbreaking cancellation of an unprecedented scorching air balloon demonstration. Greater than two years within the planning, 105 scorching air balloon pilots from world wide gathered in Calgary and have been scheduled to drift their balloons over McMahon Stadium in the course of the ceremonies. “I am devastated,” stated pilot Dave Knowler, additionally an organizer of the occasion.
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What are your reminiscences of the 1988 Winter Olympics, or what tales did your mother and father share with you? Inform us at reply@calgaryherald.com.
To learn extra in regards to the 1988 Winter Olympics, try:
35 unforgettable images from 35 years in the past: Calgary welcomed the world to the 1988 Winter Olympics
35 years later, Calgary’s Olympic Winter Video games legacy lives on, however is beginning to present its age
Verify for extra Olympic Rewind reminiscences all through the month.
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