1959 Pan American Games

III Pan American Games
Host city	Chicago
Nations participating	25
Athletes participating	2,263
Opening ceremony	August 27, 1959
Closing ceremony	September 7, 1959
Main Stadium	Soldier Field

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.^[1] 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.^[1] Chicago, led by Mayor Richard J. Daley, then became the choice of Pan American Sports Organization.^[1]

The Games opened at Chicago’s Soldier Field, with 2,263 athletes competing in eighteen sports.^[1] Yachting was on the sports program for the first time.^[1] 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.^[1]

Medal table

Host country in bold.

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States	115	69	52	236
2	Argentina	9	19	11	39
3	Brazil	8	8	6	22
4	Mexico	6	11	12	29
5	Canada	5	19	24	48
6	Chile	5	2	6	13
7	Jamaica	2	4	8	14
8	Cuba	2	4	4	10
9	Bahamas	2	0	0	2
10	Venezuela	1	7	7	15
11	Uruguay	1	3	4	8
12	Panama	0	4	4	8
13	Peru	0	2	5	7
14	Puerto Rico	0	2	4	6
15	Ecuador	0	1	1	2
16	British Guiana	0	0	3	3
17	Dutch Antilles	0	0	1	1
	Guatemala	0	0	1	1

Sports

• Athletics
• Basketball
• Boxing
• Cycling
• Diving
• Football (soccer)
• Volleyball
• Yachting

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "III Pan American Games". la84foundation.org. http://www.la84foundation.org/8saa/PanAm/chicago.htm. Retrieved 2009-10-31.