Paris 1900

Wherein from this book: The Story of the Olympic Games, 776B.C. to 1960 A.D..

The games at Paris in 1900 opened with a warm debate, continued in utter confusion and ended in a great surprise. According to the late Charles H. Sherill, then the dashing director of a group of New York A.C. athletes and afterward to become a brigadier-general, ambassador to Turkey and for many years a member of the International Olympic Committee, the competitors from the United States had no idea that they were competing in Olympic Games until they received their medals when the competition had finished. They thought they were just taking part in an international meet that was part and parcel of the Paris Exposition of that year. Their metals[sic] informed them that, unwittingly, they had enrolled themselves as Olympic champions.