Taking place during the Depression, many thought the 1932 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, was going to be an economic failure.
Even so, after a few film stars such as Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford volunteered to entertain, 37 countries sent over 1300 athletes to the games.
This was the first time an Olympic Village would be built for the games, and competitors such as Babe Didrikson, Eddie Tolan and Luigi Beccali made headlines.
[1] Answering the call of his country, he entered the American Armed Forces, where he served as a Staff Sergeant in World War II.
After being discharged, he returned to New York, partnering with his father in Mammes' Ice Cream, which had become well known in Rockaway.