Sporting events were held in Dallas, Texas in the summer of 1937 as part of the Pan-American Exposition which took place from June 13 to November 1 of that year.  

200 athletes from 10 nations were  invited to compete in athletics and football in the Cotton Bowl from July 15 - 18, with a boxing tournament held Aug. 12-14.

Most of the star athletes of the day were invited to the games. Glenn Cunningham won the 1500 meter run.

800-meter Olympic Champion John Woodruff, and Elroy Robinson, who had broken the 880-yard world record the week before, faced off in the 800 meter event, with Woodruff scoring a convincing win, and a world record of his own at the distance.

The round-robin football tournament in the Cotton Bowl included Argentina, Canada,  (represented by the Winnipeg Irish club) and the US champion, (the Highlanders  from Trenton, New Jersey). 

Argentina beat the US 9-1, Canada beat the US 3-2, and Argentina beat Canada in the final games 8-1, to take the champion ship.

Brazil suggested hosting a second edition of these games in Rio de Janeiro in 1938, but the games were not arranged. 

The sports events of the 1937 Dallas Pan-American Exposition did serve however to inspire the founding of the Pan-American Games.