When the bottle stopped spinning, love took over

BY JERRY BALLAS FOR THE OBSERVER

Sometimes, love begins with the simplest twist of fate — or, in this case, the spin of a bottle. Marty Ballas of Miami, Florida, played one year of basketball at the University of Miami before joining the U.S. Army. He was stationed at Fort Benning and later deployed to serve in the Korean War. After returning from overseas, he continued his service at Fort Benning and, during a day off, decided to visit Flat Rock Park in Columbus, Georgia. That day would change his life forever. While walking through the park with an Army buddy, Ballas came across a group of young people playing spin the bottle. A young woman called out, inviting them to join the game. Ballas agreed — and when the bottle stopped spinning,

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