Information about 1932 Olympics in Lake Placid
III Winter Games
History This was the first time that the Winter Olympics were held in the United States. In 1932, the Summer Games were also being held, in Los Angeles, California. Due to the great distances involved in traveling to the US, and the continuing Great Depression, the number of participants entering these games, almost halved in comparison to 1928. Lake Placid heralded the arrival of a new event : the two-man bobsled. There were also three demonstration sports: women's speed skating, dog-sled racing and curling. As in 1928, unusually warm weather posed a problem for event organizers. In the ski jump, snow had to be brought in by truck. These games were also the first in which Norway didn't lead in the medal table. The United States, now on home soil, lead the medal count, although the Scandinavians dominated all 4 Nordic Ski Events. |
| Dates | 4 - 15 February | | |
| Participating Countries | 17 | ||
| Number of Sports | 5 | ||
| Number of Events | 14 | ||
| Number of Athletes | 252 | ||
| Male | 231 | ||
| Female | 21 | ||
Medal Winners | ||||
| Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | TOTAL |
| USA | 6 | 4 | 2 | 12 |
| Norway | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 |
| Sweden | 1 | 2 | - | 3 |
| Canada | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| Finland | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Austria | 1 | 1 | - | 2 |
| France | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Switzerland | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| Germany | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| Hungary | - | - | 1 | 1 |
JACK SHEA (b. Sept.10, 1910)
Prior to the Olympics Shea had won the North American overall
speed-skating championship in 1929 and the U.S national overall title in
1930, but he had never started overseas. He took time off from studies at
Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire to prepare for the contest against
better known European skaters. The 1932 speed-skating events were held as
peak races 9 a method known as North American Rules) instead of usual Olympic
system of two races at a time skating against the clock. Shea defeated the
1928 gold medalist, Bent Evensen of Norway, by 4.57 meters in the 500 meter
race. He earned his second gold medal in the 1.500 meter race when Herbert
Taylor of the U.S the race leader, lost his balance and stumbled. Shea took
the lead and won the race by 7.32 meters.
SONJA HENIE (1921 - 1969)
Athlete born in Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway on Aril 8, 1912. Sonja henie began skating when she was six years old. At the age of 10 she won the Norwegian national figure-skating championship. At 11 in in 1924 she completed in the Olimpc Winter games. In 1927 she won the world amateur championship for women, holding that title for 10 consecutive years. She won three gold medals in the Olympic Winter Games of 1928, 1932 and 1936.
Karl Schafer (1909 - 1979)
Austrian figure skater who was the best performance in his sport during the 1930-s and an innovator in he sport as well. e won two successive gold medals in the Winter Olympics of 1932 and 1936. He was also world champion in figure skating from 1930 to 1936. Schafer won his first gold medal at the Winter Olympics of 1932 in Lake Placid, NY. Then 22 years old, he wrested first place from three-time Olympic champion Gillis Grifstrom.
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