Editing 1908 Summer Olympics (section)

== The Games ==
There were controversies at the games. On the opening day, following the practice introduced at the [[1906 Summer Olympics|Intercalated Games of 1906]], teams paraded behind [[national flag]]s. However, the arrangement caused complications:

* Since [[Finland]] was part of the [[Russian Empire]], members of the Finnish team were expected to march under the [[Russia]]n rather than Finnish flag, so many chose to march without a flag at all.
* The [[Sweden|Swedish]] flag had not been displayed above the stadium, so the members of the Swedish team decided not to take part in the ceremony.
* The United States' flag bearer, [[Ralph Rose]], refused to [[Flag dipping|dip]] the flag to [[Edward VII|King-Emperor Edward VII]] in the royal box. His fellow athlete [[Martin Sheridan]] allegedly declared that "this flag dips to no earthly King." The quote is held as an example of Irish and American defiance of the British monarchy, though its [[historicity]] is disputed.<ref name="la84foundation.org">{{cite journal |author=Bill Mallon and Ian Buchanan |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/JOH/JOHv7n3/JOHv7n3i.pdf |title=To No Earthly King ... |journal=Journal of Olympic History |year=1999 |page=21 |access-date=30 June 2008 |archive-date=9 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080909224103/http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/JOH/JOHv7n3/JOHv7n3i.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/06/24/olympics_history_feature.shtml |title=London Olympics 1908 & 1948 |access-date=30 October 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061010154104/http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/06/24/olympics_history_feature.shtml |archive-date=10 October 2006 }}. BBC (24 June 2005).</ref>

=== Events ===
The 1908 Olympics also prompted establishment of standard rules for sports, and selection of judges from different countries rather than just the host. One reason was the 400 metre race, in which a US runner, [[John Carpenter (athlete)|John Carpenter]], was accused by the British officials of interfering with a British runner. Part of the problem was the different definition of interference under British and international rules (the events were held under British rules by the decision of the Organising Committee). The officials decided to disqualify Carpenter and ordered a second final race without him. British [[Wyndham Halswelle|Halswelle]] was to face the other two finalists. These athletes, [[William Robbins (athlete)|William Robbins]] and [[John Taylor (relay runner)|John Taylor]], were both Americans and decided not to participate in the repeat of the final to protest against the judges' decision. Halswelle was thus the only medallist in the 400 metres.

[[File:Dorando Pietri 1908.jpg|thumb|Dorando Pietri finishes the marathon.]]

<!-- Image with inadequate rationale removed: [[File:2008£2100thOlympiad.jpg|thumb|100th anniversary of the 1908 Games, commemorated on a 2008 [[British two pound coin|£2 coin]].]] -->
[[File:1908 Olympics wax duel field.png|thumb|Original caption: "One of the most curious contests at the Olympic Games is the duelling with wax bullets. The combatants are as elaborately protected as a German student duellist, and even the revolver has a large hand-guard. The helmet has a plate-glass window."]]

The most famous incident of the games came at the end of the marathon. [[Dorando Pietri]], Italy, began his race at a rather slow pace, but in the second half of the course began a powerful surge moving him into second position by the {{convert|32|km|0|abbr=on}} mark, 4 minutes behind [[South Africa]]n [[Charles Hefferon]]. When he knew that Hefferon was in crisis, Pietri further increased his pace, overtaking him at the {{convert|39|km|0|abbr=on}} mark.

The effort took its toll and with only two kilometres to go, Pietri began to feel the effects of extreme fatigue and [[dehydration]]. When he entered the stadium, he took the wrong path and when umpires redirected him, he fell down for the first time. He got up with their help, in front of 75,000 spectators.

He fell four more times, and each time the umpires helped him up. In the end, though totally exhausted, he managed to finish the race in first place. Of his total time of 2h 54min 46s, ten minutes were needed for that last 340 metres. Second was American [[Johnny Hayes]]. The American team immediately lodged a complaint against the help Pietri received from the umpires. The complaint was accepted and Pietri was disqualified and removed from the final standings of the race. Since he had not been responsible for his disqualification, [[Alexandra of Denmark|Queen Alexandra]] awarded him a gilded silver cup the next day.

These Games were the first to include winter events, as had originally been proposed for the Games. There were four [[Figure skating at the 1908 Summer Olympics|figure skating]] events, although held on 28 and 29 October, months after most of the other events.

[[Oscar Swahn]] from [[Sweden]], who won the gold medal for [[100 meter running deer|running deer shooting]], became the oldest Olympic champion of all time, and set another age record by being 72 years and 279 days old during his triumph at the [[1920 Summer Olympics]] in [[Antwerp]], [[Belgium]]. One of the more unusual [[Shooting at the 1908 Summer Olympics|shooting events in 1908]] was [[Olympic dueling]]. The discipline, which was an associate event (that is,  not official), was performed by facing opponents wearing protective clothing and masks and firing wax bullets.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Sketch: A Journal of Art and Actuality|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=roI4AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA40|edition=No. 808 Vol LXIII, Sixpence|date=22 July 1908|publisher=Ingram brothers|page=41}}</ref>

American [[John Taylor (relay runner)|John Taylor]] was a member of the winning medley relay team, making him the first African-American athlete to win an Olympic gold medal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/people/1800s/taylorjb.html |title=John Baxter Taylor (1882–1908), V.M.D. 1908 – First African-American to Win an Olympic Gold Medal |access-date=30 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080204185912/http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/people/1800s/taylorjb.html |archive-date=4 February 2008 }}, University of Pennsylvania Archives.</ref> Times for the winning team were United States (3:29.4): William Hamilton, 200 metres (22.0); Nathaniel Cartmell, 200 metres (22.2); John Taylor, 400 metres (49.8); and [[Melvin Sheppard]], 800 metres (1:55.4).<ref name="autogenerated1">[http://www.la84foundation.org/5va/reports_frmst.htm Official Olympic Reports] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060622162855/http://www.la84foundation.org/5va/reports_frmst.htm |date=22 June 2006 }}. LA84 Foundation. Retrieved on 9 July 2012.</ref> Less than five months after returning from the Olympic Games in London, Taylor died of [[typhoid fever]] on 2 December 1908 at the age of 26.<ref>{{Cite news | issn = 0362-4331 | title = NEGRO RUNNER DEAD.; John B. Taylor, Quarter Miler, Victim of Typhoid Pneumonia. | work = The New York Times | access-date = 2 June 2013 | date = 3 December 1908 | url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30915FA3C5517738DDDAA0894DA415B888CF1D3 }}</ref>

The budget of the organising committee showed a cost of [[Pound sterling|£]]15,000; over one-third was labelled "entertainment expense". Donations were the major source of revenue; only 28% of income derived from ticket sales. Total receipts of £21,378 resulted in organisers claiming a profit. Construction of the White City Stadium, which cost the government about £60,000, was not counted.<ref name=Zarnowski>{{cite journal|author-link1=Frank Zarnowski | last = Zarnowski | first = C. Frank |date=Summer 1992 | title = A Look at Olympic Costs | journal = Citius, Altius, Fortius | volume = 1 | issue = 1 | pages = 16–32 |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/JOH/JOHv1n1/JOHv1n1f.pdf | access-date = 24 March 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080528012143/http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/JOH/JOHv1n1/JOHv1n1f.pdf | archive-date = 28 May 2008 | archive-format = PDF | url-status = dead }}</ref>