US Summer & Winter Olympic Games of 1932

UNITED STATES POSTAL DEPARTMENT on 15 June 1932 released two first day cover stamps to mark the X Summer Olympic Games which were held in Los Angeles. A runner (in violet colour) and classical Greek sculpture called Discobolus (in blue colour) was depicted on individual stamps. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing used a Rotary Press to print 168,885,300 stamps of the 'runner' and 52,376,100 stamps of the 'discus thrower'. Perforations measured 11 X 10½. Cancellation postmark originated from Los Angeles, California. The cachet on each envelope dates from 1932 and is unique to these games as well. 

The release date was delayed because the first class rate was scheduled to be changed. The increase to 3¢ was signed into law on 6 June 1932, and it was issued the following week. There was large demand for this stamp, so they were on sale for just a short time.
 

The Games of the X Olympiad opened on 30 Jul 1932. Los Angeles was the only city to submit a bid to host the 1932 Olympics, so they were selected by default in 1923.  The start of the Great Depression in 1929 led to many cost-saving measures.  Most of the facilities used during the games were existing structures, with the Swimming Stadium being the only new construction.

The opening ceremony was the largest of any Olympics up to that time. Due to the Great Depression, many countries could not afford to send athletes to the games, but a total of 37 countries did participate.  A total of 1,332 athletes competed in 117 events. The United States dominated the events and won a total of 103 medals. Italy placed second with 36, followed by Finland with 25 medals.

Interestingly, the 1932 Summer Games were the only time Japan won a gold medal in the equestrian show jumping individual event. Takeichi Nishi – now known to history as Baron Nishi – was the gold medalist with his horse Uranus. Nishi died in 1945 as an officer defending the island of Iwo Jima and is the main character in the Clint Eastwood film, Letters from Iwo Jima.

The organising committee of the games didn’t keep accurate financial records, but newspapers from the time claimed the games made a profit of US$1 million.

 

 

1932 Winter Games 

The 1932 Winter Games were held earlier in the year, from 4 to 13 February 1932. These games, the third Winter Olympiad, took place in Lake Placid, New York. A 2 cent rose coloured stamp of a ski jumper was issued. A total of 51,102,800 stamps were printed and first day covers bore the cancellation postmark from Lake Placid, New York and Washington, D.C.

Postal officials were soon embarrassed to learn the stamp design contained an error. Ski jumpers don’t use poles, but the athlete pictured on the stamp is clearly grasping a pair as he flies mid-air. Additionally, this particular stamp contains a printing error -- the illustration is offset to the right so that the perforation cuts into the margin.

Again, due to the Depression, there was a relatively small turnout.  Just 17 nations participated in the games, with a total of 252 athletes (231 men and 21 women).  They competed in 14 events in four sports.  One of the highlights of the games was Eddie Eagan winning a gold medal as a member of the four-man bobsled team. Eagan had previously won a medal in the 1920 Antwerp Olympics as a light-heavyweight boxer. Eagan remains the only person in Olympic history to win gold medals in both Summer and Winter sports.

The US team won a total medal count of 12, with six of those being gold.  The games closed on 15 February, with New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker presiding.  While the games weren’t financially successful, they did show the world that the US could put on the Winter Olympics just as well as European nations.  The US would hold the Winter Olympics three more times.

HERE is a silent film showing try he highlights of the 1932 Winter Olympics.

Source: Mystic Stamps