1908 Summer Olympics 180916 223181276 2008-07-02T22:47:20Z Djln 547792 {{Olympics infobox|1908|Summer | Name = Games of the IV Olympiad | Host city = [[London]] | Logo = 1908 Olympic Games report.jpg | Size = 200 | Nations participating = 22 | Athletes participating = 2,008<br>(1,971 men, 37 women,)| Events = 111 in 22 [[sport]]s | Opening ceremony = [[13 July]] [[1908]] | Closing ceremony = [[October 31]], [[1908]] | Officially opened by = [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]] |Athlete's Oath= |Judge's Oath= |Olympic Torch=| Stadium = [[White City Stadium]] | }} {{commonscat}} {{sources|date=April 2008}} The '''1908 Summer Olympics''', officially the '''Games of the IV Olympiad''', were an [[international]] multi-[[sport]] event which was celebrated in [[1908]] in [[London]]. These games were originally scheduled to be held in [[Rome]]. At the time they were the fifth modern [[Olympic games]]. However, the [[1906 Summer Olympics|Athens Games of 1906]] have since been downgraded by the [[International Olympic Committee]] and the 1908 Games are seen as the start of the [[Olympiad|Fourth Olympiad]], in keeping with the [[Intercalated Games|now-accepted]] four-year cycle. The IOC president for this games was [[Pierre de Coubertin|Baron Pierre de Coubertin]]. [[Italy|Italian]] authorities were preparing to hold the games when [[Mount Vesuvius]] erupted on [[April 7]], [[1906]], devastating [[Naples]]. Funds were diverted to the reconstruction of Naples, so a new venue was required. London was selected, and the games were held in [[White City, London|White City]] alongside the [[Franco-British Exhibition (1908)|Franco-British Exhibition]], at the time the more noteworthy event. [[Berlin]] and [[Milan]] were other candidates. The [[White City Stadium]], built in short time for the games, held 68,000 and was considered by some a technological marvel. The stadium track was three laps to the mile, not the current standard of 400 metres, with a pool for swimming and diving and platforms for wrestling and gymnastics in the middle.<ref>The 1908 Olympic Games : Results for All Competitors in All Events, With Commentary by Bill Mallon, Ian Buchanan, page 5 [http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/Mallon/1908.pdf] </ref> The distance from the start of the [[Marathon (sport)|Marathon]] to the finish at the stadium was established at these games. The original distance of 25 miles was changed to 26 miles so the marathon could start at Windsor Castle and then changed again at the request of Princess Mary so the start would be beneath the windows of the Royal Nursery. <ref name="The modern Olympics: an overview">{{cite web|url = http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/history/story/2008/04/29/f-olympics-1908.html |title = CBC Olympics | First appearance for flags at Olympic opening ceremony |accessdate = 2008-06-30 |author = CBC Sports}}</ref>To insure that the race would finish in the front of the King, the finish line was moved by British officials who, in response to shot putter and American flag carrier Ralph Rose's refusal to dip the American flag before the Royal Box during the open ceremonies, “felt compelled to restore the importance of the monarchy.” All of these changes established the modern distance of 42.195km (26 miles 385 yards). <ref>http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/RP/2007-08/08rp32.pdf page 9 </ref> The games were surrounded by controversy. On opening day, following the practice introduced at the [[1906 Summer Olympics|Intercalated Games of 1906]], teams paraded behind [[national flag]]s. However, the arrangement caused complications: * The [[Finland|Finnish]] team were expected to march under the [[Russia|Russian]] rather than Finnish flag, so many chose to march without a flag at all. * The Swedish flag had not been displayed above the stadium, so the members of the Swedish team decided not to take part in the ceremony. * The [[United States]] flag had also not been displayed above the stadium before the opening so the United States' flag bearer refused to dip the flag to the royal box. Though the flag was later dipped in the collective greeting of the royal family, [[Martin Sheridan]], American team captain, explained that "This flag dips to no earthly [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|king]]."<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/06/24/olympics_history_feature.shtml London Olympics 1908 & 1948]</ref> Despite international customs that encourage dipping the flag in respect to heads of state, since 1908 US flag bearers have not done so. <ref>[http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/JOH/JOHv7n3/JOHv7n3i.pdf]</ref> The 1908 Olympics also prompted establishment of standard rules for sports, and selection of judges from different countries rather than just the host. One reason was the 400 metre run in which the US winner was accused of interfering with the British runner. Part of the problem was the different definition of interference under British and US rules. The race was re-run, but the Americans refused to participate. The British runner, [[Wyndham Halswelle]], won by running around the track on his own because three of the four original runners had been American. [[Image:Dorando Pietri.jpg|thumb|250px|Dorando Pietri finishes the marathon.]] [[Image:1908 Olympic medal.jpg|thumb|right|175px|The medal of the 1908 British Olympic Council.]] <!-- Image with inadequate rationale removed: [[Image:2008£2100thOlympiad.jpg|thumb|right|175px|100th anniversary of the 1908 Games, commemorated on a 2008 [[British two pound coin]].]] --> The most famous incident of the games came at the end of the [[marathon (sport)|marathon]]. The first to enter the stadium, [[Dorando Pietri]] of Italy, collapsed several times and ran the wrong way. Not far from the finish, two officials took him by the arms and brought him to the line. As a consequence, after crossing the line he was disqualified. The medal went to American [[Johnny Hayes]] who was second but the glory went to Pietri. Since he had not been responsible for his disqualification, [[Alexandra of Denmark|Queen Alexandra]] next day awarded him a gold cup. These Games were the first to include Winter events, as had originally been proposed for the Games. There were four [[figure skating]] events, although held months after other events. For the first time the Olympic creed that "the most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part" was publicly proclaimed, and its creator, a bishop from [[Pennsylvania]], uttered it at a mass at [[St. Paul's Cathedral]] on [[July 19]]. [[Oscar Swahn]] from [[Sweden]], who won the gold medal for running deer shooting, became the oldest Olympic champion of all time, and set another age record by being 72 years and 279 days old during his triumph at the [[1920 Summer Olympics]] in [[Antwerp, Belgium]]. [[Serbia and Montenegro]] were still not Olympic participants and the first athlete from these parts of Europea to win an Olympic gold was a British water polo player and swimmer, [[Paul Radmilović]], originally from [[Boka Kotorska]] and [[Dubrovnik]]. Nicknamed ''Pavao'', he was a member of the champion water polo team and the best 4 x 200m freestyle relay. He also won gold in water polo in Stockholm (1912) and in Antwerp (1920). American John Taylor was a member of the winning medley relay team, making him the first African-American athlete to win an Olympic gold medal.<ref> [http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/people/1800s/taylorjb.html ] </ref> Times for the winning team were United States (3:29.4): William Hamilton-200 metres (22.0), Nathaniel Cartmell-200 metres (22.2), John Taylor-400 metres (49.8), and Melvin Sheppard-800 metres (1:55.4) <ref name=(Official Report of the 1908 Olympics issued under the Authority of the British Olympic Council, Page 99 > [http://www.la84foundation.org/5va/reports_frmst.htm] </ref> Tragically, Taylor "died on December 2, 1908, after his return to the United States, much regretted by all who met him here." <ref name=(Official Report of the 1908 Olympics issued under the Authority of the British Olympic Council, Page 96> [http://www.la84foundation.org/5va/reports_frmst.htm] </ref> The budget of the organizing committee showed a cost of [[Pound sterling|GB£]]15,000; over one-third was labeled "entertainment expense". Donations were the major source of revenue, only 28% of income derived from ticket sales. Total receipts of £21,377 resulted in organizers claiming a profit. Construction of the [[White City Stadium]], which cost the government about £60,000, was not counted.<ref name=Zarnowski>{{cite journal | last = Zarnowski | first = C. Frank | year = 1992 | month = Summer | title = A Look at Olympic Costs | journal = Citius, Altius, Fortius | volume = 1 | issue = 1 | pages = 16–32 | url = http://www.aafla.org/SportsLibrary/JOH/JOHv1n1/JOHv1n1f.pdf | accessdate = 2007-03-24}}</ref> == Sports == 22 sports, representing 24 sporting disciplines, were contested. Swimming, diving and water polo are considered three disciplines of the same sport, ''aquatics''. At the time, tug-of-war was part of athletics and the two different [[football]] codes ([[Football (soccer)|association]] and [[Rugby football|rugby (union)]]) were listed together. The International Olympic Committee now considers tug-of-war a separate sport, as well as referring to association football as simply "football" and to rugby union as "rugby".<ref name=OldSports>[http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/past/index_uk.asp Olympic Sports of the Past]</ref> {| | * [[Archery at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Archery]] * [[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Athletics]] * [[Boxing at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Boxing]] * [[Cycling at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Cycling]] * [[Diving at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Diving]] * [[Fencing at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Fencing]] * [[Figure skating at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Figure skating]] * [[Football at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Football]] |width=20| |valign=top| * [[Gymnastics at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Gymnastics]] * [[Field hockey at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Hockey]] * [[Jeu de paume at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Jeu de paume]] * [[Lacrosse at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Lacrosse]] * [[Polo at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Polo]] * [[Rackets at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Rackets]] * [[Rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Rowing]] * [[Rugby at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Rugby]] |width=20| |valign=top| * [[Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Sailing]] * [[Shooting at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Shooting]] * [[Swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Swimming]] * [[Tennis at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Tennis]] * [[Tug of war at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Tug of war]] * [[Water motorsports at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Water motorsports]] * [[Water polo at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Water polo]] * [[Wrestling at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Wrestling]] |} ==Participating nations== [[Image:1908 Olympic games countries.PNG|thumb|240px|participants]] The 1908 Games featured athletes representing 22 [[National Olympic Committee]]s. [[Finland]], [[Turkey]], and [[New Zealand]] (as part of the team from [[Australasia]]) made their first appearance at the Olympic Games. {| | *{{flagIOC|ARG|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|ANZ|1908 Summer}} <ref name=Australasia>Australasia included Australia and New Zealand.</ref> *{{flagIOC|AUT|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|BEL|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|BOH|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|CAN|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|DEN|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|FIN|1908 Summer}} <ref name=Finland>The [[Grand Duchy of Finland]] was part of the [[Russian Empire]] at the time, but was treated as a separate nation.</ref> *{{flagIOC|FRA|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|GER|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|GRE|1908 Summer}} |width=50| |valign=top| *{{flagIOC|GBR|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|HUN|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|ITA|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|NED|1908 Summer}} <ref name=Netherlands>The Netherlands was typically referred to in early Olympic competition as "Holland" though the entire nation of the Netherlands was the entity in question rather than the region of the country formally named Holland; the IOC currently refers to all entries from the nation as from "Netherlands".</ref> *{{flagIOC|NOR|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|RUS|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|RSA|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|SWE|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|SUI|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|TUR|1908 Summer}} *{{flagIOC|USA|1908 Summer}} |} == Medal count == {{Main|1908 Summer Olympics medal count}} These are the top ten nations that won medals at the 1908 Games. {| {{RankedMedalTable}} |- bgcolor=ccccff | 1 ||align=left| {{flagIOC|GBR|1908 Summer}} (host nation) || 56 || 51 || 39 || 146 |- | 2 ||align=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1908 Summer}} || 23 || 12 || 12 || 47 |- | 3 ||align=left| {{flagIOC|SWE|1908 Summer}} || 8 || 6 || 11 || 25 |- | 4 ||align=left| {{flagIOC|FRA|1908 Summer}} || 5 || 5 || 9 || 19 |- | 5 ||align=left| {{flagIOC|GER|1908 Summer}} || 3 || 5 || 5 || 13 |- | 6 ||align=left| {{flagIOC|HUN|1908 Summer}} || 3 || 4 || 2 || 9 |- | 7 ||align=left| {{flagIOC|CAN|1908 Summer}} || 3 || 3 || 10 || 16 |- | 8 ||align=left| {{flagIOC|NOR|1908 Summer}} || 2 || 3 || 3 || 8 |- | 9 ||align=left| {{flagIOC|ITA|1908 Summer}} || 2 || 2 || 0 || 4 |- | 10 ||align=left| {{flagIOC|BEL|1908 Summer}} || 1 || 5 || 2 || 8 |} ==Notes== <references/> ==See also== *[[International Olympic Committee]] *[[IOC country codes]] ==External links== {{commonscat}} *[http://www.la21.org.uk/whitecity/stadium.html White City Stadium/BBC radio] *[http://www.russelljames.co.uk/rjolympics.htm ''The London Olympics'' by Russell James] ==References== {{refbegin}} *{{cite book |author=Cook, Theodore Andrea |title=The Fourth Olympiad London 1908 Official Report |publisher=[[British Olympic Association]] |location=London |month=May |year=1909 |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1908/1908.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=2008-05-08}} *{{cite web |title=London 1908 |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=1908 |publisher=[[International Olympic Committee]] |accessdate=2008-05-08}} *{{cite book |author=Mallon, Bill |coauthors=Buchanan, Ian |title=The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary |publisher=McFarland |year=2000 |isbn=9780786405985 |chapter=Background |chapterurl=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/Mallon/1908.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=2008-05-08}} *{{cite book |author=Jenkins, Rebecca |title=The First London Olympics: 1908 |publisher=Piatkus Books |year=2008 |isbn=978-0749951689}} {{refend}} {{start box}} {{succession box|title=''[[Summer Olympic Games]]'' <br> Host City|before=[[1904 Summer Olympics|St. Louis]]|after=[[1912 Summer Olympics|Stockholm]]|years=''IV Olympiad'' (1908)}} {{end box}} {{EventsAt1908SummerOlympics}} {{Olympic Games}} {{London history}} [[Category:1908 Summer Olympics| ]] [[Category:Sport in London]] {{Link FA|de}} {{Link FA|ru}} [[ar:ألعاب أولمبية صيفية 1908]] [[bn:১৯০৮ গ্রীষ্মকালীন অলিম্পিক্‌স]] [[bs:IV Olimpijske igre - London 1908.]] [[bg:Летни олимпийски игри 1908]] [[cs:Letní olympijské hry 1908]] [[da:Sommer-OL 1908]] [[de:Olympische Sommerspiele 1908]] [[et:1908. aasta suveolümpiamängud]] [[es:Juegos Olímpicos de Londres 1908]] [[eo:Somera Olimpiko 1908]] [[fr:Jeux Olympiques d'été de 1908]] [[gl:Xogos Olímpicos de 1908]] [[ko:1908년 하계 올림픽]] [[hr:IV. Olimpijske igre - London 1908.]] [[id:Olimpiade London 1908]] [[ia:Jocos Olympic de 1908]] [[it:Giochi della IV Olimpiade]] [[he:אולימפיאדת לונדון (1908)]] [[la:1908 Olympia Aestiva]] [[hu:1908. évi nyári olimpiai játékok]] [[mk:Летни олимписки игри - 1908]] [[nah:Londin 1908]] [[nl:Olympische Zomerspelen 1908]] [[ja:ロンドンオリンピック (1908年)]] [[no:Sommer-OL 1908]] [[nn:Sommar-OL 1908]] [[pl:Letnie Igrzyska Olimpijskie 1908]] [[pt:Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 1908]] [[ro:Jocurile Olimpice de vară din 1908]] [[ru:Летние Олимпийские игры 1908]] [[simple:1908 Summer Olympics]] [[sl:Poletne olimpijske igre 1908]] [[sr:Летње олимпијске игре 1908.]] [[sh:Olimpijada 1908]] [[fi:Kesäolympialaiset 1908]] [[sv:Olympiska sommarspelen 1908]] [[te:1908 ఒలింపిక్ క్రీడలు]] [[th:โอลิมปิกฤดูร้อน 1908]] [[tr:1908 Yaz Olimpiyatları]] [[wa:Djeus olimpikes d' esté di 1908]] [[zh:1908年夏季奥林匹克运动会]]