Listed 4 sub titles with search on: Olympic games for wider area of: "FRONTIER WEST Region USA" .
SAINT LOUIS (Town) MISSOURI
After marathon-length discussions, debates and arguments, the
1904 Games were to be hosted in St. Louis. The balance tilted in favor of
the US, after President Theodor Roosvelt's instigation who was planning through
the Olympics, to give more grandeur to the World's Fair, held there to celebrate
the centenary of the Louisiana Purchase from France. Thus, once more the Games
were reduced to a mere world's fair sideshow.
With the events being held in the center of the North American
continent, the problem of the distance in traveling meant that there were very
few overseas entrants. Even de Coubertin did not attend. Thus, 85% of the competitors
were Americans and, to none's surprise, they won 84% of the total of medals.
A sports commentator wrote that the St. Louis Olympics was a private shootout
between US universities! In such circumstances the Games degenerated into some
sort of a farce as in most of the events the whole number of competitors, were
classmates in the same school!
Under the somewhat loose controls applied on most sports, some
strange things occurred. In the 400m race no heats were held and all 13 entrants
ran in the final. The 200m final were won by Archie Hahn, with all three of
his opponents being given a yard handicap under the rules then governing false
starts.
There was a scandal in the marathon race when the first man out
of the stadium was also the first man back. That was Fred Lorz (USA). It later
transpired that he had gladly accepted a long ride in a car, and when the car
itself broke down near the stadium, he resumed running. "As a joke", he told
reporters. Lorz was immediately banned for life and the title was given to British
born American Thomas Hicks, who had finished in an almost collapse condition
because of the strychnine he had received as a stimulant - a practice then common
and acceptable...
Text by Dimitri N. Marcopoulos
St. Louis 1904
Links with various Organizations' WebPages:
The Olympic Movement
American Sport Art Museum and Archives , a division of the United States Sports Academy
International Sailing Federation
St. Louis 1904
Links with various Media's WebPages:
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
British Broadcasting Corporation
1904 St. Louis Olympics: Various WebPages
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