Olympic Series

Olympics 1932 – Los Angeles

By mid – 1932, some 13 million people – a quarter of the work force – were unemployed in the United States alone, and many millions more in the wider world. Japan, Spain, Italy and Germany were soon to succumb to extremism.

The Los Angeles Olympic Games were deeply affected by the Great Depression that followed the Wall Street crash of 25 October 1929. Only 1,400 athletes from 37 nations made the costly journey to California – not since 1904 had participation been so low. Some events had scarcely a handful of entrants and the soccer tournament was cancelled because of a lack of participants. However, even lacking basic necessities, the Americans threw themselves into the Games. More than 100,000 people attended the Opening Ceremony in the expanded LA Coliseum – the largest sporting attendance in history at the time – and 70,000 attended the athletic events, including Hollywood stars.

From 1900 – 1928, no summer Olympics had lasted less than 79 days but the 14 days Los Angeles events programme was adopted as standard for the future. The level of competition was extremely high. Many records were broken. Amid a world wide financial crisis, the 1932 Los Angeles games were the first to make a profit – about $ 1 million – and the last until the next Los Angeles Games in 1984.

American Mildred ‘Babe’ Didrikson represented the meaning of sport in its most complete and multi – faceted sense. She won the Gold in both the javelin and the 80 meters hurdles and the silver medal in controversial circumstances in the high jump. It was reported that she had scored more than 100 points in a basketball match, single handed. Her incredible strength enabled her to train with American football players, and her skill at billiards allowed her to compete against the best players in the country. She was a competent swimmer and horsewoman and her talent in bowling equaled her dexterity in lacrosse. The morning she was scheduled to learn the basics of downhill skiing, she was granted a license to join the amateur circuit. During this period Mildred also turned her hand to baseball. As her hits frequently exceeded 100 meters she earned her nickname ‘Babe’, after the great Babe Ruth. Despite the fact that Mildred had legitimately qualified for five events, officials finally authorized the 19 years old to compete in just three disciplines. No doubt she would have been in contention for more medals in the discus, long jump and relay if she had been allowed to compete in these three further events.

Japan dominated the men’s swimming, but United States reigned supreme in the women’s events. The Japanese won every men’s swimming title except the 400 meters free style, which saw Buster Crabbe of USA and Jean Tarris of France duel for victory. Crabbe saved America’s honor. Helene Madison broke 16 world records for the distances between 100 yards and a mile in 16 months in 1930 - 31. Her 100meters world record in particular made her the darling of the American public. At 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 126 pounds, Helene Madison had almost a stretched appearance with huge hands and feet. She won three Gold medals in 100 meters, 400 meters and 4 x 100 meters relay. She celebrated her third medal by dancing the night away with actor Clark Gable, the Rhett Butler of Gone ‘With the Wind’.

The Games in Brief

Opening Date                           30 July 1932

Closing Date                            14 August 1932

Host Nation                              United States of America

Nations Represented                37

Athletes                                    1,503 (35 women,1,468 men)

Sports Disciplines                    15 (7 open to women)

Demonstration Sports               American football and Lacrosse

Games officially opened by     Charles Curtis, Vice President of the USA

Olympic flame not lit

Olympic oath read by              George C Calman (fencing)

IOC President                          Henri de Baillet – Latour (Belgium)

In order to finance their visit, the Brazilians traveled with a cargo of coffee. Franz and Toni Schmid won an Olympic prize for mountaineering after they were the first to scale the north face of the Matterhorn. The Olympic village which consisted of 700 small houses was exclusively reserved for the men, with the women being put up in a hotel.

It was thanks to Hollywood that the first mascot, a dog named Smoky, made an appearance.

PS -: Matter researched from the archives of the Olympic museum in Lausanne.

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal