Tears of joy as Olympics begin

July 28, 1984: The Olympics opened in Los Angeles, and many in the Coliseum crowd shed tears of joy, The Times reported.

“Opening day of the 1984 Olympics released a rush of good cheer over the host city that swept into all but a few last pockets of cynicism and disinterest,” The Times said.

“The predicted traffic gridlock failed to materialize, bright blue skies belied the presence of smog, the temperature was relatively mild and spectators were friendly and well-behaved.”

Decathlete Rafer Johnson, who won a gold medal in 1960, lit the Olympic torch. He “carried the flame up 99 steps and ignited a fuse that set afire the five Olympic rings just above him.... Moments later, the flame was funneled to the top of the torch, and the receptacle ignited with a whoosh, fueling the cheers of about 100,000 spectators and athletes,” The Times said.

The torch was passed to Johnson by Gina Hemphill, granddaughter of Olympic track legend Jesse Owens, who brought it to the Coliseum floor.