>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

Webster

Opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics were truly phenomenal. But the political storms swirling around the Beijing Olympics pale in comparison to the ruckus the Americans and Brits stirred up a century ago.

I gleaned the following from American History, the October 2008 edition: British organizers failed to include the Stars and Stripes among national flags at the stadium. When athletes passed the reviewing stand, they were supposed to tip their heads toward King Edward VII, but U.S. athletes refused to do so, saying “We dip our heads to no earthly king.”

The 1908 London games included an off-beat event, tug-of-war, where the U.S. battled a team of Liverpool policemen in the best of three events. The Liverpoolians had their way in the first pull, but the Americans refused to continue the match after discovering the bobbies wore shoes they deemed in violation of the rules, having projecting nails, tips and points. Olympic officials explained the shoes were standard police-issue footwear. Snubbing an offer to pull barefoot, the U.S. team forfeited. Britain went on to sweep tug-of-war.

America’s fastest runners in the half-mile (the four top world record holders) were placed in the same heat, and only the top runner could advance, only the winner advancing for a chance at a medal.

In the grueling 26-mile marathon from Windsor Castle to the stadium, the front runner fell five times in the last lap, and was helped each time by officials before he crossed the finish line just seconds ahead of the American runner.

When the first runner was awarded gold, American officials protested. The subject was debated for two hours. Finally, the American runner, Johnny Hayes, got the gold. Still, the British press took Hayes to task for winning the race on “little more than a technicality.”