1932 - Sports

Sports

Ellsworth Vines wins in men's singles at Wimbledon, Helen Wills Moody in women's singles. Vines wins in men's singles at Forest Hills, Helen Hull Jacobs, 23, in women's singles.

Jack Sharkey regains the world heavyweight boxing title June 21 by a 15-round decision over Max Schmeling at the new Garden Bowl in Long Island City, New York. "We wuz robbed!" cries Schmeling's manager Joe Jacobs.

The Olympic Games at Los Angeles attract 2,403 contestants from 39 countries. Texas athlete Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson, 18, wins the javelin throw (143 feet four inches), the shot put, the long jump, and sets a new record of 11.7 seconds for the 80-meter hurdles (the 121 female competitors are permitted to enter only three events); Denver-born sprinter Eddie Tolan, 22, wins the 200-meter dash in a record 21.2 seconds and beats Atlanta-born sprinter Ralph Metcalfe, 22, in a photo finish to win the 100-meter in 10.3 seconds, becoming the first black athlete to win two gold medals; swimmer Buster Crabbe wins the 400-meter freestyle and is signed to a movie contract; Sonja Henie has won her second gold medal in figure skating at the winter Olympics in Lake Placid.

Pitcher J. H. "Dizzy" Dean plays his first full season with the St. Louis Cardinals to begin a brief but dazzling career with the Gas House Gang. Dean, 22, will lead the National League in strikeouts for the next 3 years.

Ducky Medwick joins the Cardinals to begin an 8-year career with the team. Joseph Michael Medwick, 20, will be traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1940, to the New York Giants, to the Boston Braves, then back to the Dodgers before retiring in 1948 with a lifetime batting average of .348.

The New York Yankees win the World Series, defeating the Chicago Cubs 4 to 0. With the third game tied 4 to 4 October 1 and two strikes against him, Babe Ruth leers at his hecklers, points to the flagpole at the right of the scoreboard in center field, and hits the next pitch out of Wrigley Field.

Image Pop-Up

Slugger Babe Ruth set home-run records as he led the New York Yankees to World Series victories.

The Washington Redskins professional football team has its beginnings in the Boston Braves team organized by George P. Marshall.