The Charlotte Bobcats celebrated Opening Day of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games with an Olympic-themed Reading Timeout at the First Ward Center Gymnasium on August 13, 2004. Approximately 300 children from the Uptown YMCA, McCrory YMCA and West Boulevard YMCA Summer Camps participated in the event. Bobcats Assistant Coaches Gary Kloppenburg and John Outlaw read “Salt in his Shoes,” a book about Michael Jordan’s childhood and the determination he had as a boy. Jeff Johnson from WJZY was also on-hand to host the event and read “Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman.”

After the books were read and the Read to Achieve pledge was recited, all the kids participated in an Olympic torch relay around the basketball court. Rufus Lynx and BB Sting surprised the kids by riding out on mini-motorcycles and throwing goodies into the crowd. As the children left the gym, they were given a Bobcats Prize Pack, containing a book, magazine, Bobcats t-shirt, magnet, keychain, pencil, bookmark and American flag.