Souvenir Shorts from the 1932 Summer Olympic Games

Small, souvenir shorts are white with a blue waist band and leg cuffs. There is red trim on the side and the Olympic rings on the lower right side. Collected by the donor, Thomas Jones, while a spectator at the 1932 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California.

The 1932 Summer Olympics, also known as the Games of the X Olympiad were held in Los Angeles, California and included 37 countries, 1,206 men and 126 women athletes participating, fewer than the 1928 Games as the depression kept many athletes from making the trip. Because of the expense of putting on the Games, many existing venues were used including the Rose Bowl and the LA Coliseum. An official Olympic Village debuted at the 1932 Games consisting of hundreds of buildings to house and take care of the athletes becoming the standard for future games. The victory podium was first used at the Summer Games along with the debut of the Olympic mascot; a Scottish Terrier named Smoky. American athlete Babe Didrikson was a standout, winning two gold medals in the javelin and hurdles events although earned silver in high jump after being penalized for an illegal jump-off. The United States led the medal count with 103.

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