The 1951 Pan American Games, officially known as I Pan American Games (Spanish: I Juegos Panamericanos) and commonly known as Buenos Aires 1951, were held in Buenos Aires, Argentina between February 25 and March 9, 1951.

The Pan American Games' origins were at the Games of the X Olympiad in Los Angeles, United States, where officials representing the National Olympic Committees of the Americas discussed the staging of an Olympic-style regional athletic competition for the athletes of the Americas.

[1] During the Pan-American Exposition at Dallas, United States, in 1937, a limited sports program was staged.

However, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought much of the Americas into World War II, thus forcing the cancellation of the 1942 games.

[2] The inauguration event was attended by the Argentine President Juan Perón and the member of the Pan-American Games Commission, Avery Brundage.