1959 Pan American Games
The 3rd Pan American Games opened on August 27, 1959 in sunny 90°F (32°C) heat before 40,000 people in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The first Pan American Games held in North America, they were originally scheduled for Cleveland, Ohio, but the U.S. Congress’s decision to cut $5,000,000 in federal funding forced the city to withdraw as host. Chicago, led by Mayor Richard J. Daley, then became the choice of Pan American Sports Organization.
The Games opened at Chicago’s Soldier Field, with 2,263 athletes competing in eighteen sports. Yachting was on the sports program for the first time. Swimming events were held in the Olympic-size pool in Portage Park on the city's Northwest Side. The male athletes’ village was located on the campus of the University of Chicago. The 298 female athletes stayed nearby at the Shoreland Hotel.
Read more about 1959 Pan American Games: Medal Count, Sports
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