112 years ago, the first Olympics held in the US were a disaster

Olympic.org

In 1904, 112 years ago, the Olympics came to the U.S. for the first time. 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. 

On top of that, the selection of sports was strange. Some were blatantly racist — while others endangered competitors and overlooked cheating.

Below we take a look back at those games.

Corey Adwar contributed to this post.

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 US. 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.

Theodore Roosevelt Center

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.

Wikimedia Commons

The Russo-Japanese War also put a damper on the festivities. The tensions kept many European competitors from attending.

Wikimedia Commons

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