Having bid for the previous two Olympic Summer Games losing to war torn Antwerp, and to Paris, Amsterdam was awarded the 1928 Olympics. The only other competing city was Los Angeles, which would host the Games four years later.

In preparing to host the next games the USOC charted the costs and revenue for the games. The final tally was only a loss of $18,000, by far the lowest total of any games held previously.

These Games noted several firsts – the first time the Olympic Flame would be lit at the opening ceremonies, and the parade of nations began with Greece and  finished with the host country, a tradition that continues to this day. The track events were held for the first time on a 400 meter oval, which would later become the standard. Also the Games schedule was set at 16 days, which is also still followed to this day.

Coca-Cola appeared for the first time as an Olympic Sponsor, and for the first time since the 1912 Olympics the Germans were invited to attend.

Women’s gymnastics and athletics debuted at this Olympics with some unfortunate results. Many of the competitors in the 800 meter run were so thoroughly exhausted that women’s athletic events were scaled back to not be any longer than 200 meters until the 1960 Games.

Forty-six nations competed in the Games with the United States winning the Medal Count – 22g 18s 16b, the Germans were successful in their return to the games finishing second with 31 medals to the US 56.

This Olympics was highlighted with Johnny Weissmuller winning  two golds in swimming, Canadian Percy Williams winning both the 100 and 200 meter sprints, and Paavo Nurmi winning the last of his medals in the 10,000 meters.

The Dutch Women’s Gymnastics team would win gold at these Games, but the coach and several Jewish members of the team would be killed by the Nazi’s at the Sobibor and Auschwitz concentration camps.