1932 Summer Olympics

The Games of the X Olympiad were held in 1932 in Los Angeles, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations and athletes were unable to pay for the trip to Los Angeles. Fewer than half the number of participants from the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam competed in 1932.

Highlights

• An Olympic Village was built for the first time, occupied by the male athletes. The village is now a part of the nearby University of Southern California.
• Babe Didrikson wins two gold medals in the javelin throw and the hurdles event, and only loses a third in the high jump because her jumping technique is ruled inferior and is placed second.
• In field hockey, only three nations take part. The host nation loses 1-24 to India and 2-9 to Japan but wins a bronze medal anyway.
• Finnish star Paavo Nurmi is barred from competing in the Olympic for being a professional.
• Eddie Tolan wins both the 100 and 200 m sprint events.
• Helene Madison wins three gold medals in swimming, while the Japanese upset the men's events and take all but one title.