PAN AMERICANS IN CHICAGO
From Lake Michigan west to the town of Hinsdale, where equestrian teams sent their mounts over jump after jump, northwest to Portage Park, where swimmers and divers plunged into the brand-new Olympic-size pools, southwest to the Cal-Sag Canal, where commercial shipping was slowed to avoid ramming the rowers, Chicago and its suburbs teemed with a fascinating cross-section of humanity—2,162 athletes from 24 Western Hemisphere countries, male and female, tall and short, light and dark. They were in town for the Pan American Games, which start this Thursday and continue through Labor Day. They spoke English, Spanish, Portuguese. They wielded sabres, threw discuses, rode bikes and had fun as they worked themselves into shape.
With competition not yet begun, even the disputes were relaxed. Some U.S. girls complained that their uniform shorts were too tight, that they couldn't compete in them. But different-size shorts were traded around, an emergency order went out for replacements, everybody smiled, and. the teapot tempest died away.
Busiest spot in town was Stagg Field at the University of Chicago, where world-record holders like Shot-putter Parry O'Brien will work out., U.S. Pole Vaulter Don Bragg spent more time coaching and helping his' foreign rivals than he did in perfecting his own skills. Brazil's Adhemar Ferreira da Silva, a sort of universal ambassador (see page 34), served as a catalyst between English-speaking: and Latin-speaking groups. And Bill Nieder, who missed making the U.S. team, was on a busman's holiday, learning how to high-jump ("just for fun") and having a ball teaching pretty girls how to put the shot.
TWO PHOTOS
ART SHAY
SHORT SHORTS bothered some pretty U.S. girl track stars who said tight uniforms (above) were uncomfortable. But Brazilian Volleyballer Hilda Lassen (opposite, page) didn't seem to mind, enjoyed shot-put lesson from Bill Nieder while grinning Pole Vault Star Don Bragg kibitzed.
MAP
TWENTY-FOUR NATIONS of the Western Hemisphere entered teams of athletes in the third quadrennial Pan American Games at Chicago. Largest entry, except for that of host country United States, came from Brazil. Figures on map below show population of each country, number of athletes competing, number of sports entered.
THE NATIONS COMPETING AT CHICAGO
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
174,064,000
406 in 27
BERMUDA
42,040
12 in 2
CANADA
16,080,791
176 in 20
BAHAMAS
116,530
19 in 1
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
2,698,000
49 in 7
MEXICO
31,454,190
204 in 24
CUBA
6,410,000
140 in 19
HONDURAS
1,769,000
Not competing
HAITI
3,384,000
38 in 5
GUATEMALA
3,430,000
23 in 8
PUERTO RICO
2,287,703
149 in 15
NICARAGUA
1,331,000
21 in 2
EL SALVADOR
2,350,000
37 in 5
COSTA RICA
1,72,000
43 in 4
PANAMA
960,000
28 in 7
COLOMBIA
13,227,480
Not competing
ECUADOR
3,890,000
32 in 9
VENEZUELA
6,129,700
135 in 18
BRITISH GUIANA
508,000
19 in 5
DUTCH GUIANA
250,000
Not competing
PERU
9,923,000
89 in 12
BRAZIL
63,101,627
224 in 24
BOLIVIA
3,273,000
Not competing
PARAGUAY
1,638,000
Not competing
CHILE
7,121,000
102 in 14
ARGENTINA
19,857,700
148 in 19
URUGUAY
2,300,000
36 in 12
JAMICA
ST. MAARTEEN
SABA
ST. EUSTATIUS
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
186,597
19 in 4
ARUBA
BONAIRE
CURACAO
WEST INDIES FEDERATION
3,108,000
48 in 9
ANGUILLA
ST. CHRISTOPHER
NEVIS
ANTIGUA
MONTSERRAT
DOMINICA
ST. LUCIA
ST. VINCENT
BARBAOOS
GRENADA
TOBAGO
TRINIDAD