Olympic Games

The 1908 Olympic Games were originally scheduled to be hosted by Rome, but the 1906 eruption of Mount Vesuvius caused the Games to be relocated to London.

Britain's recent refusal to give Ireland its independence caused Irish athletes to boycott the Games and caused contestants from the U.S to not dip the American flag to the British royalty during the opening ceremony (a tradition the U.S. continues to this day).

22 sports, representing 24 sporting disciplines, were contested. Swimming, diving, and water polo are considered three disciplines of the same sport, aquatics.

At the time, tug-of-war was part of athletics and the two different football codes (association and rugby (union)) were listed together. The International Olympic Committee now considers tug-of-war a separate sport, as well as referring to association football as simply "football" and to rugby union as "rugby".

Archery; Athletics; Boxing; Cycling; Diving; Fencing; Figure skating; Football; Gymnastics; Hockey; Jeu de paume; Lacrosse; Polo; Rackets; Rowing; Rugby union; Sailing; Shooting; Swimming; Tennis; Tug of war; Water motorsports: Water polo; Wrestling



Sources: http://history1900s.about.com/od/fadsfashion/a/olympics1908.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1908_Summer_Olympics
Photos: http://www.vintag.es/2012/03/1908-london-olympic-games.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/1908-london-olympics-pictures-golden-809057
http://www.mediastorehouse.com/low.php?xp=media&xm=1716859
http://www.mixarcher.se/?p=2685