ST LOUIS 1904 : Games of the III Olympiad

ST LOUIS 1904 : Games of the III Olympiad

The 1904 St. Louis Olympics organizers repeated all of the mistakes of 1900. The Olympic competitions, spread out over four and a half months, were lost in the chaos of a World’s Fair. Of the 94 events generally considered to have been part of the Olympic program, only 42 included athletes who were not from the United States. The 1904 Olympics did have a few highlights. They were the first at which gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded for first, second and third place. Boxing and freestyle wrestling made their debuts. Marathon runners Len Tau and Jan Mashiani, Tswana tribesmen who were in St. Louis as part of the Boer War exhibit at the World’s Fair, became the first Africans to compete in the Olympics. One of the most remarkable athletes was the American gymnast George Eyser, who won six medals even though his left leg was made of wood. Chicago runner James Lightbody won the steeplechase and the 800m and then set a world record in the 1,500m.

12 NOCs (Nations)

651 athletes (6 women, 645 men)

91 events

CEREMONIES:

Saint-Louis 1904. F.J.V. Skiff, Director of Exhibits, presenting the Skiff Cup to Archie HAHN of the United States, donated as a prize to winner of the 100m dash.

Official opening of the Games by: Mr David Francis, president of Louisiana Purchase Exposition

Lighting the Olympic Flame by: The Olympic flame was first lit during the opening ceremony of the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam.

Olympic Oath by: The first athletes' oath was sworn at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, Belgium.

Official Oath by: The first officials' oath was sworn at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.

HIGHLIGHTS
In the discus, the American Martin Sheridan (opposite picture) won the decider and claimed the goldmedal. After he had thrown exactly the same distance as his compatriot, Ralph Rose (39.28m), the judges gave them both an extra throw to decide the winner.

THE MILWAUKEE METEOR

Archie Hahn (USA-athletics), the Milwaukee Meteor, was champion in the 60m, 100m and 200m. In this last race, he set a new Olympic record in 21.6 seconds, a record broken only 28 years later.

AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL DECIDER

In the discus, the American Martin Sheridan (opposite picture) won the decider and claimed the goldmedal. After he had thrown exactly the same distance as his compatriot, Ralph Rose (39.28m), the judges gave them both an extra throw to decide the winner.

DID YOU KNOW?

Four new sports were included in the Olympic Games at the 1901 IOC Session in Paris: boxing, dumbbells, freestyle wrestling and decathlon.
NEW SPORTS

Four new sports were included in the Olympic Games at the 1901 IOC Session in Paris: boxing, dumbbells, freestyle wrestling and decathlon.

A MARATHON DRIVE

Thomas Hicks of the United States won the marathon after the disqualification of his fellow countryman Fred Lorz (opposite picture, caricatured by Hugo Ewerien), who had covered a large part of the 42 kilometres in a car. He did at least get out just before the finish!

KEY FACTS

Opening date: 01 July 1904

Closing date: 23 November 1904

Country of the host city: United States of America (USA)

Candidate cities: Chicago, Illinois. (Chicago was chosen initially but it was decided to transfer to St Louis after a vote of 14 for and 2 against)

Sports:17

Sports on the program

Aquatics ,Archery ,Athletics ,Basketball ,Boxing ,Cycling ,Fencing ,Football ,Golf
Gymnastics ,Lacrosse ,Roque ,Rowing ,Tennis ,Tug of War ,Weightlifting ,Wrestling

HEROES OF THE 1904 GAMES

Ray EWRY :The Standing Jumper

Ray Ewry won eight Olympic gold medals in 1900, 1904 and 1908, yet he is almost unknown today because his unprecedented feats were performed in events that are no longer held: the standing high jump, the standing long jump and the standing triple jump. Born 14 October 1873, Ewry contracted polio as a young boy. Confined to a wheelchair, it was thought that he might be paralysed for life. However, he began exercising on his own and grew up to be a superb athlete. Ewry won all three standing jump events at the 1900 Olympics in Paris. He defended all three titles in 1904. The standing triple jump was dropped from the Olympic program in 1908, but Ewry won both the standing high jump and the standing long jump for a third time. All standing jumps were dropped from the Olympics after 1912.

John Jesus FLANAGAN :Triple hammer Champion

Irish-born John Flanagan was already the world record holder for the hammer throw when he emigrated to the United States in 1897. Like so many champion weight throwers during that era, he became a policeman in New York City and represented the US in international sporting events. At the 1900 Paris Olympics, Flanagan won the hammer throw easily, outdistancing fellow American Truxton Hare by 4.75m. Four years later, at the St. Louis Olympics, in an competition devoid of foreign entries, Flanagan successfully defended his title, although he was given a good test by John DeWitt, and won by less than a metre. A week later, Flanagan picked up a silver medal in the 56-pound (25.4-kg) weight throw. At the 1908 London Games, Flanagan overcame world record holder Matt McGrath with his last attempt to win his third straight hammer throw gold medal. He also competed in the tug-of-war. On 24 July 1909, Flanagan threw the hammer 56.18m to become the oldest world record breaker in the history of athletics. He was 41 years, 196 days old. Flanagan returned to Ireland in 1911 and lived there until his death in 1938.

Archie HAHN :The Mildwaukee meteor

Archie Hahn, who came to be known as "The Milwaukee Meteor," was quite small for a sprinter: 1.65m tall and only 59kg. He did not seriously take up competitive running until he was nineteen years old. The following year, 1900, he was recruited by representatives of the University of Michigan, who saw him win a race at a county fair. At the 1904 St. Louis Olympics, Hahn earned three gold medals. He began by winning the 60m dash in 7.0 seconds. Next, he won the 200m, leading the final from start to finish, in a time of 21.6 seconds. Finally, Hahn shot out to a fast start in the 100m final and held on to defeat fast-finishing Nate Cartmell by about two metres. Running into a strong wind, Hahn's time was 11.0 seconds. Two years later, Hahn traveled to Athens for the 1906 Intercalated Games. Taking advantage of his usual quick start, he led the final from start to finish and beat fellow American Fay Moulton by one metre. Hahn studied law at university, but never practiced his profession. Instead he devoted his life to coaching young runners. His book How to Sprint was considered a classic text.

Martin SHERIDAN :Early Discus Star

Irish-American Martin Sheridan was the world's finest all-round athlete until the arrival of Jim Thorpe, and the greatest discus thrower until Al Oerter. In addition to winning the discus at the 1904, 1906 and 1908 Olympic Games, Sheridan won the shot put in 1906 and the Greek-style discus in 1908. To these five gold medals he added three silver medals in 1906 in the stone throw and the standing jumps and a bronze medal in the standing long jump in 1908. Between 1904 and 1911, he won 11 AAU titles at a variety of events including three in the All-Around Championship, in which he broke the world record all three times. He was at his best before world records were officially recognized but from 1902 to 1911 he set no less than 15 new "World Bests" in the discus. Irish-born, he emigrated to the USA at the age of 16 and he eventually died from pneumonia on the eve of his 37th birthday while serving with the New York Police Department.

St Louis 1904:The poster



Credit: IOC / Olympic Museum Collections

It shows a view of the host city, enhanced by the use of a "fish's eye" effect. It is the reproduction of the cover of the programme of the Games.

St Louis 1904: The medal


Obverse
Credit: IOC / Olympic Museum Collections

On the obverse, an athlete standing on some steps, holding in his right hand a laurel crown, symbol of victory, and raising his left arm. In the background, a bas relief illustrating the sports disciplines from Antiquity. Behind, a Greek temple. Above the figure of the athlete, the inscription "OLYMPIAD" and on the rock bottom right "1904".
On the reverse, the goddess Nike, goddess of victory, standing on a globe. She is holding a laurel crown in her left hand and a palm leaf in her right hand. In front of her, a great crown, with in the centre a space for putting the name of the sports discipline. Behind Nike, the bust of Zeus on a plinth. The inscription "UNIVERSAL EXPOSITION ST.-LOUIS U.S.A". The design of these two sides was inspired by the medal of the 1896 Athens Games and 1900 Paris Games.

St Louis 1904:The medal

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