Gene Johnson of Wichita University assisted Needles, while Joe Reilly served as the team's director.

[1][2] As was the custom at the time, the Olympic trials consisted of a tournament between top teams from the AAU, the YMCA and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

One notably absent team from the tournament was the 1935–36 Long Island Blackbirds, who had just completed a 25–0 season behind stars Jules Bender, Ben Kramer and Art Hillhouse.

[4] Their first match was won in a forfeit, as their scheduled opponent Spain, in the throes of the Spanish Civil War, never showed up.

The two teams were only able to manage a combined total of eight points in the second half of play, due to the downpour, and the U.S. won the gold medal with a 19–8 victory.