History

With the Summer Olympics scheduled for Los Angeles, the International Olympic Committee wanted a site in the United States for the Winter Games.

The choice was Lake Placid, a town of fewer than 4,000 people, which boasted the only bobsled run in North America.

Because of the Great Depression, only about 250 athletes showed up, and more than half of them were from the United States or Canada. Ony 17 countries were represented, down from 25 in 1928.

For the third time, warm weather plagued the Winter Olympics. Snow had to be trucked in from Canada to cover the cross-country ski course. Four-man bobsledding runs had to be postponed several times and the event wasn't finished until two days after the closing ceremonies. Ski jumpers at times splashed down in large puddles.

The games drew more than 80,000 spectators and thousands more listened to radio broadcasts. They were rewarded by American victories in all four speed skating events and both bobsledding events. Eddie Eagan was one member of the winning four-man bobsled team. Eagan had won the light heavyweight boxing championship in the 1920 Olympics; he remains the only athlete ever to capture gold medals at both Summer and the Winter Games.

Norway, which had won the most medals at each of the previous two Winter Olympics, dropped into second place with 10, while the United States led with 12.

The top American performers were speed skaters Irving Jaffee, who won the 5,000- and 10,000-meter and Lake Placid's own Jack Shea, the winner of the 500- and 1,000-meter races. Shea's son, Jim Shea Sr., competed in Nordic skiing at the 1964 Winter Olympics and his grandson, Jim Shea Jr., won the gold medal in skeleton in 2002.

Sonja Henie of Norway competed in figure skating for the third time and won her second gold medal. But Gillis Grafstrom of Sweden failed in his attempt at a fourth consecutive gold. The 38-year-old figure skater had to settle for the silver medal.

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