Sports of the 1930s
Athletes of the 1930s
Joe Louis
- Beginning in 1937, he began a 12-year reign as boxing's heavyweight champion of the world.
- Now in Detroit they have Joe Louis hockey arena named after him.
Jesse Owens
- Jesse Owens was a record breaking sprinter and was know as the best athlete of his time, but unlike other athletes at this time he had to deal with racial issues.
- He suffered humiliating treatment even as he was revered as the most successful athlete of the day, winning four gold medals in the 1936 Olympics during Hitler's Germany.
Babe Ruth
- One of the most famous stories in baseball history is. During the 3rd game of the 1932 World Series, the Yankees were in a intense competition with the Chicago Cubs. When Babe Ruth stepped up to the plate, Cub players heckled him and some fans even threw fruit at him. After two balls and two strikes, the incensed Babe Ruth pointed out to center field. With the next pitch, Ruth struck the ball exactly where he had predicted in what has been termed the "called shot."
- On May 25, 1935, Babe Ruth hit his 714th career home run. Five days later, he played his last game of major league baseball.
- In 1936, Babe Ruth was chosen to be one of the first five inductees to the newly created Baseball Hall of Fame
Sporting Events of the 1930s
The World Cup
- The first ever FIFA World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930.
- The winner being the hostess Uruguay
Olympic Games
- The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, 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.
"Take me out to the ballgame"
- It was played at a ballpark for the first known time in 1934, at a highschool game in Los Angeles, and researchers think it made its debut at a major-league park later that year.