這屆奧運會于1904年7月1日至11月23日舉行，延續了5個多月，是奧運會史上又一次曠日持久的運動會。參賽國家僅13個，是迄今奧運會參賽單位最少的一次。東道主曾提出派船接送歐洲選手，但最后只不過空頭支票。因為外國選手總共還不到100人，以致某些項目的比賽，如拳擊、自由式摔跤、射箭等，參賽的幾乎都是清一色的美國人，無怪乎大家把這屆奧運會稱之為美國運動會。

KEY FACTS

Opening date: 01 July 1904

Closing date: 23 November 1904

The Host City: ST LOUIS

Sports: 17

ST LOUIS 1904 Games of the III Olympiad

The 1904 St. Louis Olympics organizers repeated all of the mistakes of 1900. The Olympic competitions, spread out over four and a half months, were lost in the chaos^{1 of a World's Fair. Of the 94 events generally considered to have been part of the Olympic program, only 42 included athletes who were not from the United States. The 1904 Olympics did have a few highlights2.}

They were the first at which gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded for first, second and third place. Boxing and freestyle wrestling made their debuts³. Marathon runners Len Tau and Jan Mashiani, Tswana tribesmen who were in St. Louis as part of the Boer War exhibit^{4 at the World's Fair, became the first Africans to compete in the Olympics. One of the most remarkable5 athletes was the American gymnast George Eyser, who won six medals even though his left leg was made of wood.}