Sports · 1904
1904: Olympic Triumph, Scandal, and Sporting Firsts
The sporting world in 1904 expanded its global footprint with the founding of FIFA and the first North American Olympic Games in St. Louis. From legendary baseball perfection to chaotic endurance races, the year defined athletic perseverance and controversy.
- May 5, 1904 | Baseball
Cy Young's Perfect Game
Cy Young pitches the first perfect game in modern Major League Baseball history, leading the Boston Americans to a 3-0 victory over Philadelphia.
- May 21, 1904 | Soccer
Founding of FIFA
Representatives from seven European nations gather in Paris to establish the Fédération Internationale de Football Association to govern international soccer.
- August 30, 1904 | Olympics
St. Louis Olympic Marathon
Thomas Hicks wins gold after first-place finisher Fred Lorz is disqualified for riding in an automobile, concluding one of the wildest races in history.
- August 31, 1904 | Athletics
Archie Hahn's Sprint Treble
Dubbed the 'Milwaukee Meteor,' sprinter Archie Hahn dominates the St. Louis Olympics by winning gold in the 60m, 100m, and 200m dashes.
- July 1904 | Cycling
The Scandalous Tour de France
Nineteen-year-old Henri Cornet is declared the youngest Tour winner after the top four original finishers are disqualified for widespread cheating and sabotage.
- October 8, 1904 | Motorsport
First Vanderbilt Cup Auto Race
American-born driver George Heath wins the inaugural Vanderbilt Cup on Long Island, establishing a premier event in international motor racing.
- October 1904 | Baseball
NY Giants Boycott World Series
New York Giants manager John McGraw and owner John T. Brush refuse to play the AL champion Boston Americans, canceling the 1904 World Series.
- October 29, 1904 | Gymnastics
George Eyser's Olympic Gold Wave
American gymnast George Eyser wins six Olympic medals in a single day, including three golds, despite competing with a wooden prosthetic leg.
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