When the long awaited London 2012 Olympic Games finally rolls around next year, it’ll be the third time in just over a century that the capital has hosted them. Of course, when the Fourth Olympiad was staged in London during 1908. It was a lot different from the sleek, slick and multi-billion pound extravaganza that London 2012 promises to be. In fact, the surrounding incidents which made the first modern games played in Britain such a memorable one are stranger than fiction.
London Calling
The 1908 Olympics were hosted by London at the last minute after Italy were forced to pull out because of the damage wrought by the eruption of Vesuvius - which, incidentally, was a volcano.
It’s quite staggering to think that compared with the costly errors, overspending, and extended deadlines of London 2012, that a hundred years ago, the British Olympic Association was given just ten months to locate a site, erect a stadium and organise all the necessary finances for the Olympiad.
Facts and Figures from London 1908
Rewind 100 years and the Olympian standard of Edwardian times was a lot different to the one we know today. For example, in the long run, the 1908 Olympics — which ran from the end of April until late October — tug-of-war was an Olympic event; there was no Olympic Torch (that tradition began in 1928); it made an official profit of £21,3777. Out of the 1,971 participants, only 37 were women; diving and field hockey made their Olympic debuts; and it was the first and last time that Britain ever topped an Olympic medal table with an impressive 56 gold medals.
They did Things Differently Then: The Notorious Tale of Dorando Pietri
History has bestowed a dubious notoriety on the way the 1908 Olympics was officiated, because of a legacy of dubious decisions and far from impartial refereeing.
The games were tainted by unsporting conduct to such a degree they prompted the standardisation of track and field rules at future Olympics and the future selection of judges from different countries rather than just the host nation
The most famous case of “gamesmanship” was perhaps that of Italy’s Dorando Pietri in the marathon event. Following the collapse of firm favourite, Canadian aborigine Tom Longboat after 19 miles, the diminutive Italian confectioner Pietri led the pack and looked certain to take the race. Heat and exhaustion all conspired to make Pietri collapse five times and run the wrong way in the final stages.
Quite literally dead on his feet, he was eventually helped first over the finish line by a gang of helpful officials, and some quarters even suggest, Sherlock Holmes' author Sir Conan Doyle.
The poor Italian was then instantly disqualified for cheating and the gold went to the American Johnny Hayes.
He may have lost the medal, but he bagged the glory and Pietri's exploits were celebrated with a special trophy from Queen Alexandria and a street in London’s White City called Dorando close was named after him.
London 1908: The Controversy and the Glory
Further controversy ensued when Birt Johnny Douglas won the middleweight boxing gold after a split decision was called by the fight’s ref - Douglas’s own father!
Cynics may argue that the reason Britain won so many medals was because of a host of incidents encapsulated in the story of the 400m final. American John Carpenter won the event fair and square but he was later disqualified by British officials. The reason? Apparently it was for impeding Britain's Wyndham Halswelle. A re-run was ordered but the three Americans refused to take part, so Halswelle ran unopposed to take gold in the only unchallenged walkover in Olympic history..
There is a Light That Never Goes Out
No doubt when the Olympic torch passes through London in 2012 it will give a slight flicker of recognition in honour one of the forgotten and long buried athletes who each did their own little bit to help keep the famous flame burning bright down the years and through the centuries.
Sources
- Rebecca Jenkins, The First London Olympics: 1908, Piakus Books, June 26, 2008.
