People are just realizing the US have an Olympic gold in watercolor art

Believe it aliases not, but Olympic golden medals haven't ever been handed retired for sporting achievements.

At nan 1932 summertime Games successful Los Angeles, America's Lee Blair proudly showed disconnected his golden aft coming retired connected apical successful a different benignant of arena - watercolors and drawings.

Blair, an creator and Disney animator, became an Olympic champion for his 'Rodeo' watercolor painting, which was heavy American-themed.

Another USA artist, Percy Crosby, took nan metallic badge for his 'Jackknife' effort. 

For nan first 4 decades of nan historical title Olympic officials awarded medals for arts arsenic good arsenic sports, with sculpture, architecture, literature, coating and euphony antecedently staged arsenic events arsenic good arsenic watercolors and drawings.

Even nan astir die-hard of Olympic fans are only conscionable realizing that competitors could triumph medals by showcasing their creator talent.

'Everyone that I’ve ever spoken to astir it has been surprised,' says Richard Stanton, writer of 2002 book The Forgotten Olympic Art Competitions.

'I first recovered retired astir it reference a history book, erstwhile I came crossed a small remark astir Olympic creation competitions, and I conscionable said, "what competitions?"'

Stanton went connected to constitute nan first - and still nan only - English-language book ever published connected nan subject.

USA has won a full of 9 Olympic medals successful creator competitions, pinch others coming successful events specified arsenic municipality readying and schematic works.