1932 Los Angeles Summer Games

Restrictions on women's participation prevented Babe from showing her true colors. She was allowed to enter only three events, though no such restriction existed for men, and she had qualified by winning the American trials in the 80 metre hurdles, the high jump, and the javelin throw. At the Olympics, she won the [javelin throw], and won the [high hurdles] (in a virtual dead-heat with [Evelyne Hall] [USA]). She was second in the [high jump] although she tied for first with [Jean Shiley]. In the jump-off Didrikson was disqualified for diving over the bar head-first, although the technique was identical to the one she had used throughout the competition.

Had she been able to compete in more events, it is likely that Babe could have won medals in the discus throw, relay, and long jump. The 200 was not contested in 1932 but Babe would have been competitive in that event also. The women's pentathlon did not make the Olympic program until 1964, but Babe Didrikson would have won that event in 1932 more easily than Jim Thorpe won the decathlon in 1912. Thorpe was able to witness the deeds of the Texas wonder-woman. He could not afford a ticket to the Olympic events but was in Los Angeles. When U.S. Vice-President [Charles Curtis] heard of Thorpe's plight, he invited him to watch the Olympics in his private box, and Thorpe availed himself of the offer.

After the Olympics, Babe Didrikson took up golf and became the greatest women's player in that sport. She won the 1946 U.S. Women's Amateur and the 1947 British Ladies' Amateur and then turned professional. As a professional, she won the U.S. Women's Open in 1948, 1950, and 1954 (shortly before her death). From 1948 to 1951, she was the leading money winner on the LPGA circuit, the first four years of its existence, and she won 31 LPGA sanctioned events.

[Paavo Nurmi] also attempted to compete at the 1932 Olympics but did not. Shortly before the Games, on 3 April, the Executive Board of the IOC declared him a professional for having received money during a tour of Germany. He had planned to run the marathon in 1932 and it is almost certain that he would have won that race, had he been allowed to compete.

The 1932 Olympics ended emotionally with the huge crowd in the Los Angeles Coliseum joining the Olympic Chorus in singing "Aloha" as the sun set and the Games ended. Little did the world know that a peaceful Olympics would not be seen for 16 more years.