In 1904, 110 years ago Thursday, the Olympics came to the U.S. The games, only in their third session, were basically a disaster.
St. Louis, the city hosting the event, failed to draw much participation, with the games featuring competitors from only 12 other countries. They even had to wear their own uniforms.
On top of that, the selection of sports was strange. Some were blatantly racist — while others endangered competitors and overlooked cheating.
In 1901, Pierre de Coubertin, considered the father of the modern Olympics, wrote to President Theodore Roosevelt, urging him to preside over games in the U.S. Originally, Chicago won the bid from the International Olympics Commission, but Roosevelt rallied for St. Louis, the host of the World's Fair that same year.
The 1904 World's Fair celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase. The two events became tied together, and unfortunately, the fair, with its own line-up of sporting events, overshadowed the games.
The Russo-Japanese War also put a damper on the festivities. The tensions kept many European competitors from attending.
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