BBC SPORT | HISTORY | St Louis 1904

St Louis experienced the same problems in 1904 that Paris had suffered four years earlier - namely being overshadowed by a World's Fair.

Originally awarded to Chicago, fair organisers in St Louis threatened to organise a rival sporting tournament before the IOC and US President Roosevelt voted to move the Games.

But with competitions spread over four and a half months, again public interest was limited.

Founder of the modern Olympic movement, Baron Pierre de Coubertin did not even attend the Games and travelling costs saw the number of participants and nations represented decline as many of the events included only Americans.

World's Fair overshadowed the 1904 Games

America duly dominated track and field but Irishman Thomas Kiely won the combined event (later to become known as the decathlon).

The major difference then was that all ten events had to be completed within one day.

US gymnast Anton Heida won five gold and one silver to be the most successful participant, but the overriding feeling in Europe was that the Games would struggle to recover from another disappointing showpiece.




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