--- title: "1904 Summer Olympics" year: 1904 country: "United States" canonical: "https://recap.at/1904/1904-summer-olympics" slug: "1904-summer-olympics" recapType: "global_event" startDate: "1904-01-01" --- # 1904 Summer Olympics this distance became the Olympic marathon standard following the 1908 London Olympics, when the course measured 26 miles 385 yards; this specific distance was later formally adopted as the international benchmark. ## Summary 6 female athletes represented a negligible percentage of competitors (less than 1%), not 'significant numbers.' The phrasing should reflect this was a minimal, not meaningful, first step. ## Key facts - **Total athletes**: 651 - **American athletes**: 530 - **Female athletes**: 6 - **Duration**: July 1 – November 23, 1904 (147 days) - **Nations represented**: competitors from 62 nations, though only 12 nations sent official delegations - **Standardized marathon distance**: 26 miles 385 yards (26.2 miles) - **Venue**: St. Louis, Missouri, primarily Forest Park - **World's Fair concurrent attendance**: 20 million visitors ## Timeline - **1901-11-01** - St. Louis selected as Olympic host The International Olympic Committee selects St. Louis to host the 1904 Olympics; the Games are organized to run concurrently with the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. - **1904-07-01** - Olympic events begin The first events commence at Forest Park in St. Louis, with the Games running concurrently with the World's Fair. - **1904-08-29** - Marathon competition held The marathon course is adjusted to end at the Olympic Stadium reviewing stand, resulting in a distance of approximately 26.2 miles. - **1904-09-03** - Women compete at Olympics Six female athletes from the United States compete in select events including archery, golf, and tennis, continuing female participation in the Olympic Games. - **1904-11-23** - Games conclude The 1904 Olympics officially end after approximately 4.5 months, concluding the Games with a sprawling schedule that set a precedent later rejected by the International Olympic Committee. ## Relationships - **happened during**: wright-brothers-first-flight - St. Louis 1904 Olympics occurred eight months before the Wright Brothers' first flight (December 1903 actually precedes it slightly, but both events bookend 1903–1904 as turning points in American technological confidence and global prominence. - **evolved from**: 1896-athens-olympics - The 1904 St. Louis Olympics directly expanded on the 1896 Athens revival of the modern Olympic Games, inheriting the IOC structure and multi-sport format while pioneering the first non-European Games location. - **happened during**: russo-japanese-war - Both the 1904 St. Louis Olympics and the Russo-Japanese War occurred in 1904, with Russian and Japanese athletes competing in St. Louis even as their nations fought in Asia-highlighting the Olympics' independence from geopolitical conflict. ## Consequences - **1912 - Women's Olympic participation expands**: The Stockholm Olympics in 1912 saw women compete in swimming for the first time, directly responding to their near-total exclusion in St. Louis. By 1928, women's athletics were added to the Olympic program. - **1908 - Standardized Olympic calendar established**: The 1908 London Olympics adopted a traditional two-week format and strict competition schedule, rejecting St. Louis's chaotic six-month model and setting the template for all subsequent modern Games. - **1920 - Olympic host rotation becomes global norm**: After St. Louis, the International Olympic Committee committed to rotating the Games across continents and nations. The 1920 Antwerp Olympics in Belgium reinforced this principle of international rotation. - **1912 - Amateur-only Olympic rule enforced**: St. Louis's muddled amateurism standards (some athletes were paid, others weren't) prompted the IOC to codify strict amateur-only rules by the 1912 Stockholm Games. ## Then vs now - **Number of competing nations**: 1904: 62 → 2024: 206+ - St. Louis drew competitors from 62 nations; modern Olympics typically include over 206 national Olympic committees. - **Female athletes as percentage of competitors**: 1904: <1% → 2024: 48% - Women were banned from nearly all events in 1904; the IOC has mandated gender parity by 2024. - **Duration of Games**: 1904: 4.5 months (July–November) (1904) → 2024: 16 days - St. Louis's sprawling schedule was condensed to the modern standard by the 1908 London Olympics. - **Number of events**: 1904: 91 → 2024: 329 (2024) - St. Louis featured 91 events across 17 sports; the 2024 Paris Olympics includes 329 events. ## Impact Should specify that while competitors from 62 nations are listed, only 12 nations sent official delegations, making the event far less internationally representative than stated. --- Canonical: https://recap.at/1904/1904-summer-olympics