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
Monday Night Football Early Years (1979 – 1984)
Before we jump into Monday Night Football from 1979 thru 1984, if you haven’t
Monday Night Football Early Years (1974 – 1978)
Before we jump into Monday Night Football from 1974 thru 1978, if you haven’t
Monday Night Football Early Years (1970 – 1973)
On September 21, 1970, the first Monday Night Football game featured the 1964 NFL
John Henry Johnson and the Million Dollar Backfield
Once, during a Super Bowl halftime interview, the legendary Jim Brown said that this
Why CasinosAnalyzer Is the Go-To Platform for Transparent Casino Rankings
In a digital landscape where more than 3,500 online casinos compete for attention, players
Dogecoin Casinos and Sports Culture in the Streaming Era
Sports history used to live in box scores, radio calls, and grainy highlight reels.
Searching for the “Zest” of the 1931 Chicago Bears
Throughout the history of professional football, every so often you might notice a club
1973 Atlanta Falcons – Best Season In First Decade Of Existence
The Atlanta Falcons joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1966. Like most