1932 Summer Olympics

The selection of the host city for the 1932 Summer Olympics was made at the 23rd IOC Session in Rome, Italy, on April 9, 1923. Remarkably, the selection process consisted of a single bid, from Los Angeles’ Olympic Committee led by Billy May Garland, and as there were no bids from any other city, Los Angeles was selected by default to host the 1932 Games.{{Cite news |date=April 10, 1923 |title=Los Angeles gets Olympics of 1932 |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_new-york-times_1923-04-10_72_23817/page/n16 |work=The New York Times |pages=17 |via=Internet Archive |volume=72 |issue=23817}}

File:The Australian Olympic Team at the Olympic Stadium, Los Angeles, 1932 - photographer unknown.jpg

File:Lauri Lehtinen and Ralph Hill 1932.jpg (left) and Ralph Hill finishing the 5000 m race at the 1932 Olympics]]

Charles Curtis became the first and only U.S. Vice President to inaugurate the Olympic Games. An Olympic Village was built for the first time and became a model for future games, in Baldwin Hills, occupied by male athletes.{{Cite web|url=http://www.baldwinhills.info/olympicvillage.php|title=1932 Los Angeles Olympic Athlete's Village - Baldwin Hills- Baldwin Hills Information|access-date=July 22, 2019|archive-date=December 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208202059/http://www.baldwinhills.info/olympicvillage.php|url-status=live}} Female athletes were housed at the Chapman Park Hotel on Wilshire Boulevard. Tenth Street, a major thoroughfare in Los Angeles, was renamed Olympic Boulevard in honor of the Games of the Tenth Olympiad. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was known in 1932 as Olympic Stadium.

The victory podium was used for the first time at the summer games (a podium was also used earlier in the year at the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid).[http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1884&ResourceType=Structure Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114222329/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1884&ResourceType=Structure |date=November 14, 2007 }}, National Landmarks Program, National Park Service, Accessed November 12, 2007.Martin, D. E., Martin, D. A., & Gynn, R. W. (2000). The Olympic Marathon. Human Kinetics. p. 146.{{efn|name=IOC-LETTER|In a letter dated May 1931, the IOC president, Count Henri de Baillet-Latour, advised the organizing committees of both Summer and Winter games that athletes should "stand on three pedestals, with the centre one higher than the two others." See Martin (2000) and Olympic.org article "1932: THE PODIUM MAKES ITS OLYMPIC DEBUT".}} An Olympic mascot, Scottish Terrier Smoky, was featured for the first time in history, albeit unofficially.

Babe Didrikson won two gold medals in the javelin and the hurdles event. She also competed in a jump-off for a gold in the high jump. Her technique in the jump-off was ruled illegal, leaving Didrikson with second place.

Finland's Paavo Nurmi was suspended from competition by the IAAF for alleged violation of amateur rules. Finns charged that the Swedish officials had used devious tricks in their campaign against Nurmi's amateur status,{{cite news | newspaper=Helsingin Sanomat | title=Finland and Sweden renew old rivalry on the athletics track this weekend | date=29 August 2008 | url=http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Finland+and+Sweden+renew+old+rivalry+on+the+athletics+track+this+weekend/1135239039050 | access-date=20 August 2012 | archive-date=June 11, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611035901/http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Finland+and+Sweden+renew+old+rivalry+on+the+athletics+track+this+weekend/1135239039050 | url-status=dead }} and ceased all athletic relations with Sweden.{{cite news | first=Juhani | last=Jalava | newspaper=Turun Sanomat | title=1925–1935: Yleisurheilu sai Suomen liikkeelle | trans-title=1925–1935: Athletics got the Finnish launch | date=15 March 2005 | url=http://www.ts.fi/erikoissivut/ts+100/1905-2005/1074031520/19251935+Yleisurheilu+sai+Suomen+liikkeelle | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130213102100/http://www.ts.fi/erikoissivut/ts+100/1905-2005/1074031520/19251935+Yleisurheilu+sai+Suomen+liikkeelle | url-status=dead | archive-date=13 February 2013 | access-date=16 September 2012 | language=fi }} A year earlier, controversies on the track and in the press had led Finland to withdraw from the Finland-Sweden athletics international.{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=289}} After Nurmi's suspension, Finland did not agree to return to the event until 1939.

Eddie Tolan won both the 100 m and 200 m sprint events. Poland's Stanisława Walasiewicz won the gold medal in the women's 100 m; she also won the silver medal in the event four years later. After her death in 1980, it was discovered that she was intersex and would have been ineligible to participate under modern rules.

Due to an official's error, the 3,000 m steeplechase went for 3,460 m, or one extra lap.{{cite web|last=Lynch|first=Steven|title=What was unusual about the 3000-metre steeplechase final at the 1932 Olympics?|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/espn/sport/story/117592.html|work=www.espn.co.uk|access-date=June 25, 2012|archive-date=June 1, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601195527/http://www.espn.co.uk/espn/sport/story/117592.html|url-status=live}}

Several women's events debuted at these games, among them the 80 meters hurdles and javelin throw.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/58121|work=Olympedia|title=80 metres Hurdles, Women|access-date=December 27, 2020|archive-date=October 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029034222/https://www.olympedia.org/results/58121|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/58142|work=Olympedia|title=Javelin Throw, Women|access-date=December 27, 2020|archive-date=March 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304181319/https://www.olympedia.org/results/58142|url-status=live}} Babe Didrikson won both events and also competed in the high jump where she was controversially denied gold, leaving her with silver.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/58128|title=High Jump, Women|work=Olympedia|access-date=December 27, 2020|archive-date=March 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318045819/https://www.olympedia.org/results/58128|url-status=live}} As women, unlike men, were only allowed to enter a maximum of three events, Didrikson could not compete in the discus throw, long jump, and relay where she would have likely medaled based on her prior results. Had the 200 meters and pentathlon been contested at these games (they debuted in 1964), Didrikson would have won them easily based on her performances prior to the Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/editions/10|title=1932 Summer Olympics|work=Olympedia|access-date=December 27, 2020|archive-date=September 7, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240907021155/https://www.olympedia.org/editions/10|url-status=live}}

In field hockey, only three nations took part. The host nation lost both matches, 1–24 to India and 2–9 to Japan, but still won a bronze medal.

Romeo Neri won three gold medals in gymnastics. Although women's team gymnastics debuted in the previous Olympics, the event was not held in these games; however, there were women gymnasts who traveled to Los Angeles and participated in exhibition events at the 1932 games.{{cite book |title=The Games of the Xth Olympiad Los Angeles 1932 Official Report |publisher=Xth Olympiade Committee of the Games of Los Angeles, U.S.A. 1932, Ltd. |pages=653–670 |url=https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll8/id/8040/rec/13 |format=PDF |access-date=2019-10-30 |archive-date=December 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231210225222/https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll8/id/8040/rec/13 |url-status=live }}

Helene Madison won three gold medals in swimming, while the Japanese upset the men's events and took all but one title. Kusuo Kitamura won the gold medal in the men's 1500 meter freestyle swimming race. He was and continues to be the youngest ever male swimmer to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games.

Takeichi Nishi (Baron Nishi) was the gold medalist with his horse Uranus in the equestrian show jumping individual event. Nishi's gold medal is Japan's only gold medal in the equestrian event to this day. Nishi died in 1945 as an officer stationed in the defense of the island of Iwo Jima, and as such is an important character in Clint Eastwood's film, Letters from Iwo Jima.

Dunc Gray won Australia's first cycling gold medal; he set a world record of 1m 13s in the 1000 time trial. The Dunc Gray Velodrome, built for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, was named after him.

Image:Takeichi Nishi.jpg with Olympic steed, Uranus]]

117 events in 20 disciplines, comprising 14 sports, were part of the Olympic program in 1932. In one of two Equestrian jumping events (team competitions) no medals were awarded. The number of events in each discipline is noted in parentheses.

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• Aquatics
• {{GamesSport|Diving|Events=4|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Swimming|Events=11|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Water polo|Events=1|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Athletics|Events=29|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Boxing|Events=8|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Cycling|Format=d}}
• Road (2)
• Track (4)
• {{GamesSport|Equestrian|Format=d}}
• Dressage (2)
• Eventing (2)
• Show jumping (2)
• {{GamesSport|Fencing|Events=7|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Field hockey|Events=1|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Gymnastics|Events=11|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Modern pentathlon|Events=1|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Rowing|Events=7|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Sailing|Events=4|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Shooting|Events=2|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Weightlifting|Events=5|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Wrestling|Format=d}}
• Freestyle (7)
• Greco-Roman (7)

{{div col end}}

• {{GamesSport|American football|Events=1|Format=d}}
• {{GamesSport|Lacrosse|Events=1|Format=d}}

The Art competitions at the 1932 Summer Olympics awarded medals for works inspired by sport-related themes in five categories: architecture, literature, music, painting, and sculpture.

File:Rosebowl.JPG

Fifteen sports venues were used for the 1932 Summer Olympics. In order to control costs in the wake of the Great Depression, existing venues were used. They included two golf courses, two city parks, three public highways, and a city road. The Swimming Stadium was the only new venue constructed for these games. The Rose Bowl, constructed in 1921, was made into a temporary velodrome for track cycling events under the auspices of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).[http://www.rosebowlstadium.com/RoseBowl_history.php History of the Rose Bowl Stadium.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101015060712/http://www.rosebowlstadium.com/RoseBowl_history.php |date=October 15, 2010 }} Accessed 13 October 2010. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, constructed in 1923, was used as the Olympic Stadium.[http://www.lacoliseumlive.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60&Itemid=69 History of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027050717/http://www.lacoliseumlive.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60&Itemid=69 |date=October 27, 2010 }} Accessed 13 October 2010. The Olympic Auditorium was constructed in 1924 in preparation for Los Angeles being awarded the Games; it was modified to meet the specifications of the boxing, weightlifting, and wrestling federations. Long Beach Marine Stadium was created in 1925 when Alamitos Bay was dredged, then further dredged seven years later in time for the 1932 Games.[http://www.longbeach.gov/park/parks_and_open_spaces/parks/marine_stadium.asp Long Beach Marine Stadium information.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101002192329/https://www.longbeach.gov/park/parks_and_open_spaces/parks/marine_stadium.asp |date=October 2, 2010 }} Accessed 13 October 2010. Elysian Park, the oldest city park in Los Angeles, was founded in 1886, and has been part of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) training academy since 1925.[http://www.historicechopark.org/id31.html History of Elysian Park.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051218060926/http://www.historicechopark.org/id31.html |date=December 18, 2005 }} Accessed 13 October 2010.[http://www.lapdonline.org/search_results/content_basic_view/1134 History of the Los Angeles Department Police Academy.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819202333/http://www.lapdonline.org/search_results/content_basic_view/1134 |date=August 19, 2016 }} Accessed 13 October 2010. The Riviera Country Club opened in 1926 as the Los Angeles Athletic Club Golf Course and was renamed Riviera by the time of the 1932 Games.[http://www.therivieracountryclub.com/html/history.cfm?history_ID=3 History of the Riveria Country Club in Pacific Palisades, CA: 1931-8.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325124108/http://www.therivieracountryclub.com/html/history.cfm?history_ID=3 |date=March 25, 2010 }} Accessed 14 October 2010. The Swimming Stadium, constructed adjacent to the Coliseum in 1932, was intended to be a temporary structure. Riverside Drive, Los Angeles Avenue, Vineyard Avenue, and the Pacific Coast Highway were common driving routes in California at the time of the 1932 Games.

The Coliseum was the first (& temporary) Los Angeles home for the National League (NL) Dodgers baseball team when it moved from Brooklyn, New York before the 1958 season.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/1958.shtml 1958 Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball-Reference season page.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218133101/http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/1958.shtml |date=February 18, 2009 }} Accessed 15 October 2010. The following year, it hosted the 2nd 1959 MLB All-Star Game and games 3, 4 & 5 of the 1959 World Series.[http://www.baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/yr1959as.shtml 1959 All-Star Game Baseball Almanac.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114030823/http://www.baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/yr1959as.shtml |date=January 14, 2020 }} Accessed 15 October 2010.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1959_WS.shtml Baseball-reference.com profile of the 1959 World Series.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201115458/https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1959_WS.shtml |date=February 1, 2022 }} Accessed 15 October 2010. When Dodger Stadium was completed in 1962, the Dodgers moved there where they have been since.[http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/la/ballpark/history.jsp MLB.com profile of Dodger Stadium.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160725071124/http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/la/ballpark/history.jsp |date=July 25, 2016 }} Accessed 17 October 2010. The National Football League (NFL) Los Angeles Rams used the Coliseum as its host stadium from 1946 to 1979 when it moved to Anaheim, located southeast of Los Angeles.NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, {{ISBN|0-7611-2480-2}}, p. 280.[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/ram/1980.htm Pro-Football Reference.com of the 1980 Los Angeles Rams.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803133405/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/ram/1980.htm |date=August 3, 2018 }} Accessed 15 October 2010. It also hosted what became known as Super Bowl I in 1967.[http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/history/recap/sbi NFL.com history of Super Bowl I.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905081530/http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/history/recap/sbi |date=September 5, 2015 }} Accessed 15 October 2010. Even the American Football League's Chargers used the Coliseum as a venue in 1960 until their move to San Diego the following year.[http://www.chargers.com/team/history/chronology/1959-1969.html Chronology of the San Diego Chargers: 1959-69.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091012165235/http://www.chargers.com/team/history/chronology/1959-1969.html |date=October 12, 2009 }} Accessed 15 October 2010. The Coliseum continues to host USC Trojans football games to this day, and also hosted UCLA Bruins football for a number of years. The Rams returned to the Coliseum for a span of four years from 2016 to 2019 while SoFi Stadium was being built.

The track constructed in the Rose Bowl was given to the Tournament of Roses Association upon completion of the 1932 Games. The Bowl was expanded between 1932 and the 1984 Summer Olympics three times, increasing its capacity from 83,000 in 1931 to 104,594 in 1972.[http://www.rosebowlstadium.com/RoseBowl_history_154_facts.php Facts about the Rose Bowl Stadium.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605172943/http://www.rosebowlstadium.com/RoseBowl_history_154_facts.php |date=June 5, 2013 }} Accessed 15 October 2010. It hosted Super Bowl XI in 1977, where the Oakland Raiders defeated the Minnesota Vikings 32–14. It is the current home of UCLA Bruins football and the Rose Bowl Game, and was the home of the Major League Soccer (MLS) Los Angeles Galaxy from 1996 to 2003.

Elysian Park's shooting range was left intact for the LAPD to use. Sunset Fields Golf Club was renamed Brentwood Country Club in 1941 and is still in use as of 2010.[http://www.golfcalifornia.com/courses/los-angeles/brentwood-cc/ Golfcalifornia.com profile of the Brentwood Country Club.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804142047/http://www.golfcalifornia.com/courses/los-angeles/brentwood-cc/ |date=August 4, 2016 }} Accessed 15 October 2010. All of the road courses were returned to public usage after the Olympics. The Olympic Auditorium continued to be of use for boxing and roller derby events[https://web.archive.org/web/20040911081823/http://www.lasports.org/lafacilities/display.php?s=Arena&id=24 LASports.org profile of the Grand Olympic Auditorium.] Accessed 15 October 2010. until June 2005 when it was bought to be used as a megachurch. Los Angeles Harbor continues to be a major sea port in the Western United States, employing 919,000 people and generating US$39.1 billion in annual wages and tax revenues as of 2007.[http://www.portoflosangeles.org/newsroom/press_kit.asp Electronic Press Kit of the Port of Los Angeles.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100927123938/http://portoflosangeles.org/newsroom/press_kit.asp |date=September 27, 2010 }} Accessed 15 October 2010. The Riveria Country Club continues to host golf events, hosting the 1948 U.S. Open and the PGA Championship in 1983 and 1995.[https://web.archive.org/web/20100512192704/http://usga.usopen.com/2010/history/past-champions.html United States Golf Association US Open past champions: 1895-2009.] Accessed 15 October 2010.[https://web.archive.org/web/20061023163248/http://www.pgamediaguide.com/pgachampionship_detail.cfm?tournament_id=409&date=1983&tourn_name_id=2 PGA Media Guide of the 1983 PGA Championship.] Accessed 15 October 2010.[http://www.pgamediaguide.com/pgachampionship_detail.cfm?tournament_id=382&date=1995&tourn_name_id=2 PGA Media Guide of the 1995 PGA Championship.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717152845/http://www.pgamediaguide.com/pgachampionship_detail.cfm?tournament_id=382&date=1995&tourn_name_id=2 |date=July 17, 2015 }} Accessed 15 October 2010. The Swim Stadium was renovated in 2003 and continues to be in use as of 2010.[http://www.laparks.org/dos/aquatic/poolsReport04/pdf/condition/JohnAngrueSwimStadium.pdf LaParks.org profile of the LA84 Foundation/ John C. Argue Swim Stadium.] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040926090526/http://www.laparks.org/dos/aquatic/poolsReport04/pdf/condition/JohnAngrueSwimStadium.pdf |date=September 26, 2004 }}. Accessed 15 October 2010.

For the 1984 Summer Olympics, the Coliseum and the Rose Bowl were used as venues.[http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1984/1984v1pt1.pdf 1984 Summer Olympics official report.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101102235952/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1984/1984v1pt1.pdf |date=November 2, 2010 }} Volume 1. Part 1. pp. 72-9, 129-131. Accessed 15 October 2010.

File:1932 Summer Olympic games countries.png

File:1932 Summer olympics team numbers.png

A total of 37 nations were represented at the 1932 Games. Colombia made its first appearance at the Olympic Games, and the Republic of China competed for the first time after its failed appearance at the 1924 Games.

The nations that participated in the previous games in Amsterdam 1928 but was absent in Los Angeles 1932 was Bulgaria, Chile, Egypt, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Panama, Rhodesia and Romania.

At the time, Australia and New Zealand were dominions of the British Empire. India was also part of the British Empire, but was not a dominion. With the Statute of Westminster 1931 Ireland, Canada and South Africa are recognized as sovereign states in their own right. The whole statute was applied to the three countries without the need for any acts of ratification.

Philippines was an unincorporated territory and commonwealth of the United States.

{{Main|1932 Summer Olympics medal table}}

These are the top ten nations that won medals at the 1932 Games.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/editions/10|title=1932 Summer Olympics Overview|work=Olympedia|access-date=December 27, 2020|archive-date=September 7, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240907021155/https://www.olympedia.org/editions/10|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/los-angeles-1932/medals|title=Los Angeles 1932 Medal Table|work=International Olympic Committee}}

{{Medals table

| caption =

| host =

| show_limit =

| remaining_text =

| flag_template = flagIOC

| event = 1932 Summer

| team =

| gold_USA = 44 | silver_USA = 36 | bronze_USA = 30 | host_USA = yes

| gold_ITA = 12 | silver_ITA = 12 | bronze_ITA = 12

| gold_FRA = 11 | silver_FRA = 5 | bronze_FRA = 4

| gold_SWE = 10 | silver_SWE = 5 | bronze_SWE = 9

| gold_JPN = 7 | silver_JPN = 7 | bronze_JPN = 4

| gold_HUN = 6 | silver_HUN = 5 | bronze_HUN = 5

| gold_GER = 5 | silver_GER = 12 | bronze_GER = 7

| gold_FIN = 5 | silver_FIN = 8 | bronze_FIN = 12

| gold_GBR = 5 | silver_GBR = 7 | bronze_GBR = 5

| gold_POL = 3 | silver_POL = 2 | bronze_POL = 4

}}

File:General view of Los Angeles Olympic Stadium on the opening day of the Games of the Xth Olympiad, while contenders from all nations take the Olympic Athlete's Oath.jpg|The Coliseum during the opening ceremony

{{IOC seealso|games=1932 Summer Olympics }}

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

Bibliography

• {{cite book | last=Raevuori | first=Antero | year=1997 | title=Paavo Nurmi, juoksijoiden kuningas | publisher=WSOY | edition=2nd | language=fi | isbn=978-9510218501 }}

{{commons category}}

• {{IOC games|games=1932 Summer Olympics }}

{{S-start}}

{{s-sports|soly}}

{{s-bef|before=Amsterdam}}

{{s-ttl|title=X Olympiad
Los Angeles|years=1932}}

{{s-aft|after=Berlin}}

{{S-end}}

{{Olympic Games}}

{{1932 Summer Olympic venues}}

{{Nations at the 1932 Summer Olympics}}

{{EventsAt1932SummerOlympics}}

{{Portal bar|Olympics|United States|Los Angeles|Sports|1930s}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Summer Olympics in Los Angeles

Category:Summer Olympics by year

Olympics

Olympics

Olympics, Summer

Olympics

Category:July 1932 sports events in the United States

Category:August 1932 sports events in the United States

Category:Olympic Games in the United States

Category:Events at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum