1904 Olympics

Updated February 21, 2017 | Factmonster Staff Updated by an Factmonster Editor on February 21, 2017

St. Louis

Originally scheduled for Chicago, the Games were moved to St. Louis and held in conjunction with the centennial celebration of the Louisiana Purchase.

The program included more sports than in Paris, but with only 13 nations sending athletes, the first Olympics to be staged in the United States had a decidedly All-American flavor—over 500 of the 687 competitors were Americans. Little wonder the home team won 80 percent of the medals.

The rout was nearly total in track and field where the U.S.–led by triple-winners Ray Ewry, Archie Hahn, Jim Lightbody and Harry Hillman–took 23 of 25 gold medals and swept 20 events.

The marathon, which was run over dusty roads in brutally hot weather, was the most bizarre event of the Games. Thomas Hicks of the U.S. won, but only after his handlers fed him painkillers during the race. And an impostor nearly stole the victory when Fred Lorz, who dropped out after nine miles, was seen trotting back to the finish line to retrieve his clothes. Amused that officials thought he had won the race, Lorz played along until he was found out shortly after the medal ceremony. Banned for life by the AAU, Lorz was reinstated a year later and won the 1905 Boston Marathon.

Top 10 Standings

National medal standings are not recognized by the IOC. The unofficial point totals are based on 3 points for a gold medal, 2 for a silver and 1 for a bronze.

		Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total	Pts
1	USA	78	84	82	244	484
2	Germany	4	4	4	12	24
3	Canada	4	1	1	6	15
4	Hungary	2	1	1	4	9
	Cuba	3	0	0	3	9
6	Austria	1	1	1	3	6
	Britain/Ireland	1	1	1	3	6
8	Greece	1	0	1	2	4
	Switzerland	1	0	1	2	4
10	Cuba/USA	1	0	0	1	3

Leading Medal Winners

Number of individual medals won on the left; gold, silver and bronze breakdown to the right.

Men

No		Sport	G-S-B
6	Anton Heida, USA	Gymnastics	5-1-0
6	George Eyser, USA	Gymnastics	3-2-1
6	Burton Downing, USA	Cycling	2-3-1
5	Marcus Hurley, USA	Cycling	4-0-1
5	Charles Daniels, USA	Swimming	3-1-1
5	Albertson Van Zo Post, USA	Fencing	2-1-2
5	William Merz, USA	Gymnastics	0-1-4
4	Jim Lightbody, USA	Track/Field	3-1-0
4	Francis Gailey, USA	Swimming	0-3-1
4	Teddy Billington, USA	Cycling	0-1-3
4	Frank Kungler, USA	Weightlifting, Wrestling & Tug of War	0-1-3
3	Ray Ewry, USA	Track/Field	3-0-0
3	Ramón Fonst, CUB	Fencing	3-0-0
3	Archie Hahn, USA	Track/Field	3-0-0
3	Harry Hillman, USA	Track/Field	3-0-0
3	Julius Lenhart, AUT	Gymnastics	2-1-0
3	George Bryant, USA	Archery	2-0-1
3	Emil Rausch, GER	Swimming	2-0-1
3	Robert Williams, USA	Archery	1-2-0
3	Ralph Rose, USA	Track/Field	1-1-1
3	William Thompson, USA	Archery	1-0-2
3	Charles Tatham, USA	Fencing	0-2-1
3	William Hogenson, USA	Track/Field	0-1-2
3	Emil Voigt, USA	Gymnastics	0-1-2

Women

No		Sport	G-S-B
2	Lida Howell, USA	Archery	2-0-0
2	Emma Cooke, USA	Archery	0-2-0
2	Jessie Pollack, USA	Archery	0-0-2

Track & Field

Event		Time
60m	Archie Hahn, USA	7.0	=WR
	William Hogenson, USA	7.2
	Fay Moulton, USA	7.2
100m	Archie Hahn, USA	11.0
	Nathaniel Cartmell, USA	11.2
	Willaim Hogenson, USA	11.2
200m	Archie Hahn, USA	21.6	OR
	Nathaniel Cartmell, USA	21.9
	Willaim Hogenson, USA
400m	Harry Hillman, USA	49.2	OR
	Frank Waller, USA	49.9
	Herman Groman, USA	50.0
800m	Jim Lightbody, USA	1:56.0	OR
	Howard Valentine, USA	1:56.3
	Emil Breitkreuz, USA	1:56.4
1500m	Jim Lightbody, USA	4:05.4	WR
	W. Frank Verner, USA	4:06.8
	Lacey Hearn, USA
Marathon	Thomas Hicks, USA	3:28:53
	Albert Coray, FRA	3:34:52
	Arthur Newton, USA	3:47:33
110m H	Frederick Schule, USA	16.0
	Thaddeus Shideler, USA	16.3
	Lesley Ashburner, USA	16.4
200m H	Harry Hillman, USA	24.6	OR
	Frank Castleman, USA	24.9
	George Poage, USA
400m H	Harry Hillman, USA	53.0
	Frank Waller, USA	53.2
	George Poage, USA
3000m Steeple	Jim Lightbody, USA	7:39.6
	John Daly, GBR/IRE	7:40.6
	Arthur Newton, USA
4-mile Team	New York AC (Arthur Newton, George Underwood, Paul Pilgrim, Howard Valentine, David Munson)	27 pts
	United States
	France

Event		Mark
High Jump	Sam Jones, USA	5-11
	Garrett Serviss, USA	5- 10
	Paul Weinstein, GER	5- 10
Pole Vault	Charles Dvorak, USA	11- 5³/4
	LeRoy Samse, USA	11- 3
	Louis Wilkins, USA	11- 3
Long Jump	Meyer Prinstein, USA	24- 1	OR
	Daniel Frank, USA	22- 7¹/4
	Robert Stangland, USA	22- 7
Triple Jump	Meyer Prinstein, USA	47- 1
	Frederick Englehardt, USA	45- 7¹/4
	Robert Stangland, USA	43- 10¹/4
Shot Put	Ralph Rose, USA	48- 7	WR
	William W. Coe, USA	47- 3
	Leon Feuerbach, USA	43- 10¹/2
56-lb Throw	Étienne Desmarteau, CAN	34- 4
	John Flanagan, USA	27- 10¹/4
	James Mitchell, USA	27- 9¹/2
Discus	Martin Sheridan, USA	128-10¹/2	OR
	Ralph Rose, USA	128- 10¹/2
	Nicolaos Georgantas, GRE	123- 7¹/2
Hammer	John Flanagan, USA	168- 1	OR
	John DeWitt, USA	164- 10¹/2
	Ralph Rose, USA	150- 0
Triathlon	Max Emmerich, USA	35.7 pts
Decathlon	Tom Kiely, IRE	6036 pts
	Adam Gunn, USA	5907
	Truxton Hare, USA	5813

Note: Sheridan won Discus throw-off after tying with Rose for 1st.

Standing		Mark
High Jump	Ray Ewry, USA	5- 3
	James Stadler, USA	4- 9
	Lawson Robertson, USA	4- 9
Long Jump	Ray Ewry, USA	11- 4⁷/8	WR
	Charles King, USA	10- 9
	John Biller, USA	10- 8¹/2
Triple Jump	Ray Ewry, USA	34- 7¹/4
	Charles King, USA	33- 4¹/2
	James Stadler, USA	31- 3¹/2

Swimming

Event		Time
50yd Free	Zoltán Halmay, HUN	28.0
	Scott Leary, USA	28.6
	Charles Daniels, USA
100yd Free	Zoltán Halmay, HUN	1:02.8
	Charles Daniels, USA
	Scott Leary, USA
220yd Free	Charles Daniels, USA	2:44.2
	Francis Gailey, USA	2:46.0
	Emil Rausch, GER	2:56.0
440yd Free	Charles Daniels, USA	6:16.2
	Francis Gailey, USA	6:22.0
	Otto Wahle, AUT	6:39.0
880yd Free	Emil Rausch, GER	13:11.4
	Francis Gailey, USA	13:23.4
	Géza Kiss, HUN
Mile Free	Emil Rausch, GER	27:18.2
	Géza Kiss, HUN	28:28.2
	Francis Gailey, USA	28:54.0
100yd Back	Walter Brack, GER	1:16.8
	Georg Hoffmann, GER	1:18.0
	Georg Zacharias, GER	1:19.6
440yd Brst	Georg Zacharias, GER	7:23.6
	Walter Brack, GER	7:33.0
	Jamison Handy, USA
4x50yd Free	USA (Joe Ruddy, Leo Goodwin, Louis Handle, Charles Daniels)	2:04.6
	USA
	USA

Note: Halmay won 50-Free in swim-off with Scott Leary of USA.

Diving		Points
Platform	George Sheldon, USA	12.66
	Georg Hoffman, GER	11.66
	Frank Nehoe, USA	11.33
	Alfred Braunschweiger, GER	11.33

Plunge		Mark
for Distance	William Dickey, USA	62-6
	Edgar Adams, USA	57- 6¹/2
	Leo Goodwin, USA	57- 0¹/2

Team Sports

Sport	Champion
Lacrosse	Canada (Shamrock-Winnipeg)
	USA
Soccer	Canada (Galt Football Club)
	USA
	USA
Tug-of-War	USA (Milwaukee AC)
Water Polo	USA (New York AC)

Archery

MEN

Event
York Round	Phillip Bryant, USA	820
	Robert Williams, USA	819
	William Thompson, USA	816
American Round	Phillip Bryant, USA	1048
	Robert Williams, USA	991
	William Thompson, USA	949
Team Round	USA	1344
	USA	1341
	USA	1268

WOMEN

Event
National Round	Lida Howell, USA	620
	Jessie Pollock, USA	419
	Emma Cooke, USa	419
Columbia Round	Lida Howell, USA	867
	Emma Cooke, USA	630
	Jessie Pollock, USA	630
Team Round	USA	506
	USA

Boxing

Event
Flyweight (-105 lb)	George Finnegan, USA
	Miles Burke, USA
Bantamweight (-115 lb)	Oliver Kirk, USA
	George Finnegan, USA
Featherweight (-125 lb)	Oliver Kirk, USA
	Frank Haller, USA
	Fred Gilmore, USA
Lightweight (-135 lb)	Harry Spanger, USA
	James Eagan, USA
	Russell van Horn, USA
Welterweight (-143³/4 lb)	Albert Young, USA
	Harry Spanger, USA
	Joseph Lydon, USA
Middleweight (-158 lb)	Charles Mayer, USA
	Benjamin Spradley, USA
Heavyweight (+158 lb)	Samuel Berger, USA
	Charles Mayer, USA
	William Michaels, USA

Fencing

Event
Foil (Individual)	Ramón Fonst, CUB
	Albertson Van Zo Post, CUB
	Charles Tatham, CUB
Foil (Team)	Cuba
	USA
	Cuba
Épée (Individual)	Ramón Fonst, CUB
	Charles Tatham, CUB
	Albertson Van Zo Post, CUB
Sabre (Individual)	Manuel Diaz, CUB
	William Grebe, USA
	Albertson Van Zo Post, CUB
Single Sticks	Albertson Van Zo Post, CUB
	William Grebe, USA
	William Scott O'Connor, USA

Gymnastics

Event
Parallel Bars	George Eyser, USA	44
	Anton Heida, USA	43
	John Duha, USA	40
Horse Vault	Anton Heida, USA / George Eyser, USA	36
	William Merz, USA	31
Pommel Horse	Anton Heida, USA	42
	George Eyser, USA	33
	William Merz, USA	29
Horizontal Bar	Anton Heida, USA / Edward Hennig, USA	40
	George Eyser, USA	39
Rings	Hermann Glass, USA	45
	William Merz, USA	35
	Emil Voigt, USA	32
Rope Climbing	George Eyser, USA	7.0
	Charles Krause, USA	7.8
	Emil Voigt, USA	9.8
Club Swinging	Edward Hennig, USA	13.0
	Emil Voigt, USA	9.0
	Ralph Wilson, USA	5.0
Four Event Competition	Anton Heida, USA	161
	George Eyser, USA	152
	William Merz, USA	135
Nine Event Competition	Adolf Spinnler, SWI	43.49
	Julius Lenhart, AUT	43.00
	Wilhelm Weber, GER	41.60
Triathlon	Max Emmerich, USA	35.70
	John Grieb, USA	34.00
	William Merz, USA	33.90

Roque (Croquet)

Charles Jacobus, USA

S.O. Streeter, USA

Charles Brown, USA

Rowing

Event
Single Sculls	Frank Greer, USA	10:08.5
	James Juvenal, USA
	Constance Titus, USA
Double Sculls	USA	10:03.2
	USA
	USA
Coxless Fours	USA	9:53.8
	USA
Coxed Eights	USA	7:50.0
	Canada

Tennis

Event
Men's Singles	Beals Wright, USA
	Robert LeRoy, USA
Men's Doubles	Edgar Leonard / Beals Wright, USA
	Alonzo Bell / Robert LeRoy, USA

Weightlifting

Event		Weight
One-arm Lifts (10 Lifts)	Oscar Paul Osthoff, USA	105 ¹/4 lb
	Frederik Winters, USA	99 ¹/4 lb
	Frank Kungler, USA	22 lb
Two-arm Lifts	Perikles Kakousis, GRE	246 lb
	Oscar Paul Osthoff, USA	186 lb
	Frank Kungler, USA	176 lb

Freestyle Wrestling

Event
Light Flyweight (-105 ³/4) lb	Robert Curry, USA
	John Heim, USA
	Gustav Thiefenthaler, USA
Flyweight (-115 lb)	George Mehnert, USA
	Gustave Bauer, USA
	William Nelson, USA
Bantamweight (-125 lb)	Isaac Niflot, USA
	August Wester, USA
	Z.B. Strebler, USA
Featherweight (-135 lb)	Benjamin Bradshaw, USA
	Theodore McLear, USA
	Charles Clapper, USA
Lightweight (-145 lb)	Otto Roehm, USA
	Rudolph Tesing, USA
	Albert Zirkel, USA
Welterweight (-158 lb)	Charles Erickson, USA
	William Beckmann, USA
	Jerry Winholtz, USA
Heavyweight (+158 lb)	Bernhuff Hansen, USA
	Frank Kungler, USA
	Fred Warmbold, USA

1900 Olympics

Summer Olympics Through The Years

1906 Olympics

Sources +

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