July 24, 1908 – There was some controversy at the London Olympic Marathon. American runner Johnny Hayes is given the Gold Medal for his finish with an Olympic record of 2:55:18.4. The Controversy was that Dorando Pietri of Italy had been disqualified for receiving assistance before the finish line.
Pietri had been the first athlete to enter the stadium where a crowd of onlookers anticipated him crossing the finish stripe first. Dorando had been helped over the finish line by British officials who were in charge of the games when he had been found to be struggling near the end of the race in what would have been a record pace.
Olympic rules stipulate that the runners must cross the finish line under their own power to be official. Many said this was the most exciting finish since Ancient Greek times when a race winner was said to have died crossing the line to win.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
Sports History On This Day: August 1
August 1, 1918 – Back in the day MLB teams knew how to play defense. The Pittsburgh
Norman Barry: The High School Coach Who Won an NFL Title!
Since the Arizona Cardinals began in 1899, the team has captured just two NFL
Sports History On This Day: July 31
July 31, 1932 – The grand opening of Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium took place. The Cleveland
Sports History On This Day: July 30
July 30, 1874 – The very first baseball teams to play outside of the US
Sports History On This Day: July 29
July 29, 1751 – It was a truly historic sports day in the world of
Sports History On This Day: July 28
July 28, 1933 – The NFL took a huge step in growth on this day
A Day in the Life of a Retired Indy Car Mechanic
In retirement, do we always seek the refuge of our favorite golf course or
Sports History On This Day: July 27
July 27, 1959 – The game of baseball in New York City had somewhat of