Odes to Georgia · Track 21 · middle
Georgia Sports Heritage
Georgia sports past and present — the Atlanta Falcons heartbreaks, Atlanta Braves Ted Turner era through Acuña and Riley, Atlanta Hawks from Pistol Pete to Trae Young, Atlanta United MLS, Atlanta Dream WNBA, Centennial Olympic Games 1996, Georgia Bulldogs SEC dynasty in Athens, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Atlanta, the Augusta Lynx, the Macon Knights, the Atlanta Crackers minor league at Ponce de Leon Park, college rivalries red-and-black vs gold-and-white
Lyrics
[Intro] [Verse 1] You stood there in center field, old magnolia at Ponce de Leon Park, 650 Ponce de Leon Avenue, since 1907, watching the Atlanta Crackers chase fly balls under the Georgia sun. Afternoon games at 2:00 PM, baking heat, your leaves catching home runs from forgotten players, their names lost like the stadium demolished in 1966. [Chorus] Oh, magnolia, you saw it all, from Ted Turner's Braves in 1976, through the 1995 World Series glow, to Ronald Acuña Jr. stealing bases in 2023, Matt Olson at first, not Riley, wait, Austin Riley at third, their swings echoing your branches. [Verse 2] Pistol Pete Maravich dribbling for the Hawks in 1970, flashy passes at the Omni, died too young January 5, 1988, now Trae Young icing games at State Farm Arena, leading to the Eastern Finals in 2021. You felt the vibrations, tree, from Falcons heartbreaks, Super Bowl LI on February 5, 2017, blowing 28-3 against the Patriots. [Bridge] And the college rivalries, red-and-black Georgia Bulldogs between the hedges at Sanford Stadium, 100 Sanford Drive, SEC dynasty roaring on fall Saturdays, 90°F in September, against gold-and-white Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd. Atlanta United's MLS chants, Atlanta Dream's WNBA drives, even the Augusta Lynx hockey slips, Macon Knights arena tackles. [Verse 3] Remember the 1996 Olympics, July 19 opening at Centennial Stadium, Muhammad Ali lighting the cauldron, 83,000 voices, humidity at 78°F, smell of popcorn and grass. You were there in spirit, magnolia, witness to the horse escaping in Conyers, trotting down the highway. [Outro] Old tree, you hold the heritage, from Crackers to champions, whisper it to me now, in this energetic pulse of Georgia sports.