‘To Dip or Not to Dip’: The American Flag at the Olympic Games Since 1936

Abstract

Since 1936 US teams have unwaveringly refused to dip the American flag at Olympic parades. The practice has become a hallowed tradition in American displays of national identity. The practice, however, has frequently been a source of controversy and dissension. A startlingly diverse array of athletes, sports bureaucrats, politicians, and social critics has decried the practice. The American press frequently condemned other nations for refusing to dip their flags at Olympics contested in the US, even as they cheered American teams for continuing their tradition of refusal. From the ‘Nazi Olympics’ to the end of the Cold War, the rest of the world has increasingly adopted this peculiar American habit in spite of the International Olympic Committee's desires for more diplomatic flag gestures. In the US, the tradition remains at the centre of crafting patriotism in Olympic forums.

Notes

[1] US Code, Statutes at Large, 8, 36:176, 22 June 1942, ch. 434, Sec. 4, 56, Stat. 379; 22 Dec. 1942, ch. 806, Sec. 4, 56 Stat. 1076; 7 July 1976, Pub. L. 94-3444, (12)-(16), 90 Stat. 812.

[2] Leepson, Flag, 205–18.

[3] Arthur J. Daley, ‘Sports of the Times: The Battle of Shepherds Bush,’New York Times, 24 Feb. 1946.

[4]‘IAAAF Paves Way for Russia to Participate in 1948 Olympics’, New York Times, 18 June 1947.

[5] Gustavus T. Kirby, ‘Report of the Chef de Mission’, in AOC, Report of the United States Olympic Committee, 1948, 247.

[6] Allison Danzig, ‘King George Opens Olympics for 6000 from 59 Nations’, New York Times, 30 July 1948.

[7]‘Old Glory Stays on High’, New York Times, 30 July 1948.

[8] As reprinted in ‘Stars and Stripes’, Lethbridge Herald (Alberta), 23 Oct. 1948.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Gayle Talbolt, ‘Pageantry Behind, Athletes Take Over Olympics’, Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City), 30 July 1948.

[11] Daley, ‘The Battle of Shepherds Bush’. Daley claimed that he researched the flag-dipping tale in ‘the most authoritative source of them all’, John Kieran's The Story of the Olympic Games. Kieran had been a colleague of Daley's in the sports department at the New York Times. Indeed, Daley co-authored with Kieran later editions of The Story of the Olympic Games. Curiously, neither earlier nor later editions of the book mentioned Rose, the trip to the pub or the refusal to dip the flag to the English king. Kieran, The Story of the Olympic Games, 171; Kieran and Daley, The Story of the Olympic Games, 118; Kieran et al., The Story of the Olympic Games, 118.

[12] Arthur J. Daley, ‘Sports of the Times: The Big Parade’, New York Times, 6 July 1952.

[13] Arthur J. Daley, ‘Sports of the Times: Amid Matchless Pageantry’, New York Times, 13 Oct. 1968.

[14] Arthur Daley, ‘With Matchless Pageantry’, New York Times, 27 Aug. 1972.

[15] Red Smith, ‘Arthur J. Daley, Sports Columnist, Dies’, New York Times, 4 Jan. 1974.

[16] Dyreson, Making the American Team. For extended discussion of these issues see Dyreson, ‘Icons of Liberty or Objects of Desire?’; Dyreson, ‘American Ideas About Race and Olympic Races’; Dyreson, ‘Playing for a National Identity’; Dyreson, ‘“America's Athletic Missionaries”’; Dyreson, ‘Melting Pot Victories’; Dyreson, ‘Return to the Melting Pot’. On the co-mingling of Irish and American identities in sport see Gorn, The Manly Art. On the Irish community in New York City see Binder and Reimers, All the Nations Under Heaven.

[17]‘Murray Hulbert, Jurist, 65, Dead’, New York Times, 27 April 1950; ‘Murray Hulbert's Candidacy’, New York Times, 24 Oct. 1916.

[18]‘Olympics Open at St. Moritz’, San Mateo Times (CA), 30 Jan. 1948.

[19] Daley, ‘Sports of the Times: The Big Parade’.

[20] Ed Curtis, ‘Biggest Olympics Open in Heavy Rainstorm’, Modesto Bee (CA), 19 July 1952; Ed Curtis, ‘70,000 Spectators View Opening of Olympic Games’, Evening Gazette (Reno, NV), 19 July 1952.

[21] Red Smith, ‘The Duke Speaks’, Syracuse Herald-Tribune (NY), 23 Nov. 1956.

[22] Arthur Daley, ‘Sports of the Times’, New York Times, 13 Nov. 1956; Allison Danzig, ‘Armitage Chosen to Carry US Flag at Opening Ceremony of Olympic Games’, New York Times, 20 Nov. 1956; ‘Crowd of 102,000 sees Opening Ceremonies of Olympic Games at Melbourne’, New York Times, 22 Nov. 1956.

[23] Ty Cobb, ‘Bright Sun Floods Site of Ceremony’, Nevada State Journal, 19 Feb. 1960.

[24]‘Snow Snarls Olympics Start’, Washington Post, 19 Feb. 1960; David Condon, ‘12,000 See Nixon Open Winter Games’, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 1960.

[25]‘Russia Follows US in Not Dipping the Flag’, New York Times, 26 Aug. 1960; ‘Rousing Acclaim Greets US Team’, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 1960; Oscar Fraley, ‘US, Russia Favored to Grab To Honors’, Zanesville Times Recorder (OH), 26 Aug. 1960; ‘US Gets top Ovation at Opening of Olympic Games’, Galveston Daily News (TX), 26 Aug. 1960; ‘US Flag Erect’, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 1960.

[26] Shirley Povich, ‘Rafer Johnson ‘Best Darned Athlete’ in World’, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 1960.

[27] Letter from Mrs Albert G. Peters, Vice Chairman, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, to Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, 6 Oct. 1960, Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, Box 109, Reel 59, Avery Brundage Collection, Special Collections Microfilm, Paterno Library, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania. Avery Brundage Collection originals at University of Illinois Archives, Champaign, Illinois (hereafter ABC).

[28] Letter from Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, to Mrs Albert G. Peters, Vice Chairman, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, 17 Oct. 1960, Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[29] Letter from Mrs Albert G. Peters, Vice Chairman, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, to Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, 21 Oct. 1960, Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[30]‘Brundage Urges Use of One Flag’, New York Times, 14 Feb. 1960. Brundage continued to try to push the issue, as evidenced by his collection of materials in regards to the issue in personal papers. Folder ‘Flags & Hymns – Questions of Discontinuing Use in Victory Ceremonies, 1956, 1963–1969’, Box 104, Reel 56, ABC.

[31] Letter from Robert S. Porter, Danvers, MA, to Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States, 31 Aug. 1960, Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[32] Letter from B. James Burke and John Chabot Smith, Weston, CT, to Richard M. Nixon, Vice President of the US, and John Fitzgerald Kennedy, US Senator from Massachusetts, 29 Aug. 1960, Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[33] Letter from Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, to Robert S. Porter, Danvers, Massachusetts, 6 Oct. 1960; Letter from Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, to B. James Burke and John Chabot Smith, Weston, CT, 15 Oct. 1960; both in Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[34]‘Tokyo Lights the Olympic Flame’, Pacific Stars and Stripes, 11 Oct. 1964; ‘Pageant Preludes Olympic Action’, Pacific Stars and Stripes, 12 Oct. 1964; Leslie Nakashima, ‘March of Olympians Greatest Spectacle of All’, Pacific Stars and Stripes, 12 Oct. 1964; ‘Olympics’ Eyes Are on Torch … and Old Glory’, Pacific Stars and Stripes, 12 Oct. 1964; ‘Rome's Was Magnificent, Say US Officials, but Tokyo's Beat Them All’, Pacific Stars and Stripes; James Roach, ‘De Mille Would Have Envied Opening Olympic Show’, Charleston Gazette-Mail (WV), 11 Oct. 1964; ‘Olympics Under Way’, Lowell Sun (MA), 11 Oct. 1964; ‘Japanese After First Gold Medal’, Oakland Tribune, 10 Oct. 1964.

[35] O'Neill, The New Left, 45–59; Jezer, Abbie Hoffman, American Rebel, 185–7; Sloman, Steal This Dream, 161–5; Welch, Flag Burning, 47–60; Leepson, Flag, 227–44.

[36]‘Jesse Owens: Olympic Star ‘Returns to Berlin’,’Long Beach Press-Telegram, 24 March 1968.

[37] Guttmann, The Games Must Go On, 223–55.

[38] Two recent studies provide excellent analysis of the controversies and protests surrounding the Mexico City games: Bass, Not the Triumph But the Struggle; and Hartmann, Race, Culture and the Revolt of the Black Athlete. The autobiography of a sprinter who clashed with Rafer Johnson and Jesse Owens over similar issues at the 1972 Olympic games in Munich, Vincent Matthews, offers keen insights into the younger generation's perception of Johnson and the old guard: Matthews, My Race Be Won.

[39] Willie Mays and Jesse Owens were also featured for a time on this wall of shame. Arnold Hano, ‘The Black Rebel Who “Whitelists” the Olympics’, New York Times Sunday Magazine, 12 May 1968, 32–40.

[40]‘Honored: Olympics Pretty Special to Harold, Olga Connolly’, Charleston Gazette-Mail (WV), 6 Oct. 1968; Boo Odem column, European Stars and Stripes, 14 Oct. 1968.

[41] Daley, ‘Sports of the Times: Amid Matchless Pageantry’.

[42]‘Mexico City's Brightest Day’, Pacific Stars and Stripes, 14 Oct. 1968.

[43]‘George Foreman,’New York Times, 14 Oct. 1968.

[44]‘Smith, Carlos Banned … Ordered Home’, Long Beach Press-Telegram, 18 Oct. 1968; ‘Olympic Walkout Unlikely’, Oakland Tribune, 18 Oct. 1968; ‘Reaction to Expulsion Runs Gamut’, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 1968.

[45]‘Reaction to Expulsion Runs Gamut’, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 1968.

[46] Lawrence G. Brooks, ‘Standing on Ceremony’, New York Times, 5 Aug. 1972.

[47] Bernard Kirsch, ‘American Flag Borne High’, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 1972.

[48] Letter from Judge Avery Brooks, First District Court of East Middlesex, Malden, MA, to Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, 9 Dec. 1968; Letter from Judge Avery Brooks, First District Court of East Middlesex, Malden, MA, to Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, 20 Dec. 1968; all in Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[49] Letter from Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, to Judge Avery Brooks, First District Court of East Middlesex, Malden, MA, 11 Dec. 1968, Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[50] Letter from Judge Avery Brooks, First District Court of East Middlesex, Malden, MA, to Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, 7 Feb. 1969; Letter from Judge Avery Brooks, First District Court of East Middlesex, Malden, MA, to Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, 24 Feb. 1969; Letter from Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, to Judge Avery Brooks, First District Court of East Middlesex, Malden, MA, 1 March 1969; all in Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[51]Letter from Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, to Elliot L. Richardson, US Under Secretary of State, 1 March 1969; Letter from Elliot L. Richardson, US Under Secretary of State, to Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, 5 March 1969; Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[52] Letter from Douglas F. Roby, President, United States Olympic Committee, to Judge Avery Brooks, First District Court of East Middlesex, Malden, MA, 6 March 1969; Letter from Judge Avery Brooks, First District Court of East Middlesex, Malden, MA, to Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, 11 March 1969; Letter from Douglas F. Roby, President, United States Olympic Committee, to Judge Avery Brooks, First District Court of East Middlesex, Malden, MA, 12 March 1969; Letter from Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, to Judge Avery Brooks, First District Court of East Middlesex, Malden, MA, 8 April 1969; Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[53] Letter from Douglas F. Roby, President, United States Olympic Committee, to Judge Avery Brooks, First District Court of East Middlesex, Malden, MA, 18 March 1969, Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[54] Letter from Leonard C. Meeker, Legal Advisor, US Department of State, to Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, 12 March 1969, Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[55] Letter from Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, to Leonard C. Meeker, Legal Advisor, US Department of State, 14 March 1969, Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[56] Letter from Judge Avery Brooks, First District Court of East Middlesex, Malden, MA, to Avery Brundage, to President of the International Olympic Committee, 24 March 1969, Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[57] Letter from Arthur G. Lentz, Executive Director of the United States Olympic Committee, to Leonard C. Meeker, Legal Advisor, US Department of State, 5 May 1969; Letter from Leonard C. Meeker, Legal Advisor, US Department of State, to Judge Avery Brooks, First District Court of East Middlesex, Malden, MA, 26 May 1969; all in Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[58] Letter from Judge Avery Brooks, First District Court of East Middlesex, Malden, MA, to Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, 30 May 1969, Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[59] Letter from Avery Brundage, President of the International Olympic Committee, to Judge Avery Brooks, First District Court of East Middlesex, Malden, MA, 16 June 1969, Folder ‘Olympic Games – Dipping of US Flag, 1960, 1968–1969’, ABC.

[60] Brooks, ‘Standing on Ceremony’.

[61]‘Mrs. Connolly Carries Flag’, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 1972.

[62] Ibid.

[63]‘Games’ Inaugural Splendid Panorama’, Dallas Morning News, 27 Aug. 1972.

[64]‘Gold Mining in Munich’, Time, 4 Sept. 1972.

[65] Kirsch, ‘American Flag Borne High’.

[66] Arthur Daley, ‘Olga Comes Through’, Syracuse Herald American (NY), 27 Aug. 1972.

[67] Kirsch, ‘American Flag Borne High’.

[68]‘Olympic Village Officials Remove Peace Petitions’, Odessa American (TX), 29 Aug. 1972.

[69] George F. Will, ‘The Olympics: Time for a Permanent Time-Out’, Washington Post, 15 Jan. 1976; George F. Will, ‘In the True Olympic Spirit’, Washington Post, 11 May 1984.

[70] Red Smith, ‘Opening of Olympics is Hailed in Montreal’, New York Times, 18 July 1976; Red Smith, ‘Olympics Opening Taxes Queen's Feet’, Austin American-Statesman, 18 July 1976. Time magazine reported that Queen Elizabeth was not offended by the American action. ‘Are the Olympics Dead?’, Time, 2 Aug. 1976.

[71] Tim Brown, ‘Vivid Memories Run the Emotional Gamut’, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sept. 2000.

[72]‘Soviets May Raise US Flag’, Washington Post, 26 June 1980; ‘Soviets May Hoist US Flag Anyway’, Syracuse Post-Standard (NY), 26 June 1980.

[73] Fred Rothenberg, ‘Moscow Olympics Open; Boycott Dulls Pageantry’, Syracuse Herald-Journal, 19 July 1980.

[74] Leepson, Flag, 247–8.

[75] Frank Litsky, ‘Flags Fly and the Bands Play’, New York Times, 9 Feb. 1984; George Vecsey, ‘Sports of the Times’, New York Times, 29 July 1984; Robert Lindsey, ‘A Surge of Pride, Patriotism’, New York Times, 30 July 1984; Stanley Cohen, ‘A Spectacle Stirs the Jumble of Nationalism’, New York Times, 26 Aug. 1984.

[76]‘Bulgaria Boycotts Games’, Chicago Daily Herald, 10 May 1984.

[77] Michael Janofsky, ‘Games Begin on High Note’, New York Times, 14 Feb. 1988; Michael Janofsky, ‘Hurdles Cleared, the Games Begin’, New York Times, 17 Sept. 1988.

[78] Randy Harvey, ‘The Olympics: Winter Games at Albertville’, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 1992.

[79] Dave Anderson, ‘Flaps Over the Flag and Quayle's Visit’, New York Times, 9 Feb. 1992.

[80] Gerald Eskenazi, ‘Koch Pledges Allegiance to the Statute’, New York Times, 9 Feb. 1992; Anderson, ‘Flaps Over the Flag and Quayle's Visit’.

[81] Anderson, ‘Flaps Over the Flag and Quayle's Visit’.

[82] John Husar, ‘Dip the US Flag? Koch Avoids Flap by Changing Mind’, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 1992.

[83] Eskenazi, ‘Koch Pledges Allegiance to the Statute’.

[84] Tom Shales, ‘CBS's Olympic Team: Still a Contender’, Washington Post, 11 Feb. 1992.

[85] Christine Brennan and William Drozdiak, ‘It's a Brave New World as First Games of ‘90s Open; Array of Flags Tells Story’, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 1992.

[86] Michael Wilbon, ‘No Need to Stand on Ceremony’, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 1992.

[87] Harvey, ‘The Olympics’.

[88] Woody Paige, ‘Olympic Harmony Reigns – Sort of Stirring Ceremony Gets Games Rolling’, Denver Post, 9 Feb. 1992.

[89] Peter Gemma, Jr., ‘Don't Trash National Pride’, USA Today, 10 Feb. 1992.

[90] Brennan and Drozdiak, ‘It's a Brave New World’.

[91] Michael Janofsky’, ‘Ignition: Games Begin With Flames and Flair’, New York Times, 9 Feb. 1992; Eskenazi, ‘Koch Pledges Allegiance to the Statute’; Harvey, ‘The Olympics’; Paige, ‘Olympic Harmony Reigns’. John Husar (‘Dip the US Flag?’) reported that five nations dipped, adding Finland to the list.