Oh, say did you see ... the flag on fire at the Braves' home opener?
If you were at the game Tuesday night, you watched as baseball legend Hank Aaron was honored and the team's latest division banner was unveiled. You might've missed the red glare of a firework bursting in air, burning holes in a nearby American flag at Turner Field.
But Midtown resident Julie Paulk didn't.
"I was just taking pictures," Paulk told The Atlanta-Journal-Constitution.
Seconds later, she said she couldn't believe her eyes. As fireworks lit up the sky, one headed straight for Old Glory.
"Oh my God, the flag's on fire," Paulk said.
Within seconds, the fire was out, thanks to the flag's flame-retardant material, a Braves spokeswoman said.
"We tried pyrotechnics from a new location and one went awry, burning holes in the flag," Beth Marshall with the Braves said. "The flag was made of flame-retardant material so it didn't catch fire, but did burn holes."
Yes, the flag was still there.
"We replaced the flag immediately following the game and we will no longer use pyrotechnics from that location," Marshall said.
The new flag was flying Wednesday over the home of Braves.
About the Author