General Overview

At the Pan American Sports Conference in 1940, it was decided to host the First Pan American Games at Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1942. However, due to the Second World War, the games had to be postponed until 1951. Avery Brundage, vice-president of the IOC and president of the USOC was ellected as the first president of the PASC.

The weather rised months prior to the beggining of the first games. In one side, strong winds damaged several sport venues. And on the other hand, the Juan Domingo Peron's police entered on conflict with reporters from the diary ''La Prensa'', leaving one death. The USA would later protest against the intervention of the Peronist Regime on the opossition newspapers.

Argentina was going into elections, whit the polemic about Evita being or not the candidate to the vice-presidency of his husband goberment, the first time that the women vote on this country. The Pan American Games served as propaganda for the peronist, at the end, Argentina would beat USA on the medal table (this was only repeated on 1991, with the cubans at first place on Havana)

The Opening Ceremony

The Opening Ceremony of the Ist Pan American Games was held on 25 February, with a colorful spectacle presided by Juan Domingo Peron, president of Argentina, and his wife Eva Peron (the stadium was full of peronist icons and Peron's sayings). They entered the stadium on a limousine to the cheers of the capacity crowd of 100.000 spectators. The Peronist Party song ''Muchachos Peronistas'' (March of the Peronists) and the Argentina anthem were performed.

2513 athletes from 21 nations marched on the stadium. Dr. Rodolfo Valenzuela, president of the Organizing Comittee, made a speech of welcome. He was followed by Avery Brudnage, president of the PASC, who thanked the organizers. He then introduced President Peron, who declared the games open.

After the hoisting of the Olympic Flag, and the Olympic Torch was carried into the stadium by John Sossidis, a greek athlete. The torch was lit in Mount Olympus, Greece.Sossidis carried the torch to an elevated basin and lit the Pan American flame. Another greek athlete presented an Olive Branch to President Juan Domingo Peron, followed by a female argentine, who presented a bouquet to Eva Peron. Finally a male and female member of the Argentine team took the oath on behalf of all the competitors.

The Competitions

The first Pan American game record which was broken was from a sergeant, Heulet Benner, from the United States, who get 570 points of 600 on shooting. Argentine athlete Delfo Cabrera repeated his victory on the olympic marathon at London 1948 by winning the marathon this time on his native country at the Pan American Games. On sailing, Brazil was one of the most distinguished teams, obtaining two medals, gold on class Star and silver on Snipe. Fencer Estevao Molnar returned from Argentina with two bronzes. This were the first medals obtained by Brazil on the fencing events, of any multi-sport event on its history.

Argentine boxers took all of the gold medals. Adhemar Ferreira da Silva made the mark of 15.9m to obtain gold at triple jump (he would later broke the world record at Helsinki 1952 Olympics by jumping 16m22). North american Robert Richard took the gold at pole vault, with a mark of 4m50. The poorest country on America, Haiti, obtained their first medal on the Pan American Games, bronze at weightlifting 60kg, with Joseph Charlot.

In basketball, USA was represented by a combined team of Indiana State University and AAU Blue n' Gold players, who had to adjust to the south american ball. The americans met Argentina in the final. USA won 57-51 and took the gold. However, in football, Argentina would become the champion. At swimming, the US won four of the seven events, with Dick Cleveland amassing three gold medals.

Closing Ceremonies

The games closed on 9 March with a ceremony on the main stadium. 60.000 spectators attended. The flags of the 22 countries made their parade on the stadium and Eva Peron tied blue and white ribbons at the end of the flagstaffs. Avery Brundage, president of the Pan American Sport Comittee thanked the organizers and called the athletes to assemble in 1955 at Mexico City for the II Pan American Games. After the lowering of the flag and the extinguishing of the flame, fireworks lit up the sky to end the Ist Pan American Games.

Curious facts of the games

- One of the athletes of the brazilian team was no one else than Joao Havelange, on waterpolo (who also took part at Berlin 1936 Olympics), with 36 years old. He would later became the president of the FIFA, the most important football organization in the world.

-Returning from Buenos Aires, swimmer Tetsuo Okamoto was received on his hometown (at Brazil) as a hero, and he participated on a parade on his honor. At the same time, thiefts entered his house and stole some of his pertenences.

-The opening ceremonies weren't held at Buenos Aires, but on the neighbour city of Avellaneda. Today, the stadium is named Juan Domingo Peron and is home of the football club Racin Club. In fact, Gen. Peron was a big fan of this team back then.

Final Medals Table