“Bringing the World to Los Angeles”: The Transnational Track and Field Scene at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, 1932–84

Why do mega events like the Olympics and the World Cup continue to occur despite clear evidence of their negative effects on cities and their astronomical cost? Scholars and political commentators have rightly underscored the political power of corporate elites and international sporting federations who convince governments to use their public resources for sporting events. However, few scholars take seriously the notion that sporting performance and the spectacular quality of such events entice desires for participation, not just among civic elites, but also aspiring athletes and spectators who desire a more meaningful relationship to labor.

This paper combines transnational methodologies with local historical techniques to show how the transnational track and field circuit converged in one particularly important location: the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, one of the iconic sporting venues in the United States. As the only venue to host two Olympic Games (1932 and 1984), as well as thousands of other track and field events, the Coliseum is a unique location that enables scholars to explore the intricacies of capital, labor, leisure, and pleasure that make mega-athletic events possible. From the 1920s onward, Los Angeles emerged as a city with a robust network of sporting associations, athletes, and spectators. The sporting scene was enhanced by the constant influx of male and female track and field athletes from other parts of the world who competed against local and national performers. By juxtaposing the training of athletes with the labor of stadium workers and spectators, the paper will argue that organized sports productively blurs the lines between labor and leisure. While organized sport has always been based on the exploitation of athletic labor power, my reading of the history of track and field at the Coliseum illustrates how sport encouraged marginalized groups to craft their own visions of worthwhile labor and belonging.