**Swimming at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men’s 100 Yard Backstroke**
**Definition**
The men’s 100 yard backstroke was a swimming event held at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri. It was notable for being the only Olympic Games to feature the 100 yard distance in backstroke, as opposed to the metric distances used in other years.
—
## Overview
The men’s 100 yard backstroke at the 1904 Summer Olympics was one of the swimming competitions conducted during the third modern Olympic Games. The event took place in an outdoor pool constructed specifically for the Games, and it marked a unique instance in Olympic history due to the use of the imperial measurement of yards rather than meters. This event was part of a broader swimming program that included various freestyle, breaststroke, and backstroke races.
## Historical Context
The 1904 Summer Olympics were held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, as part of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (World’s Fair). These Games were the first Olympics hosted in the United States and were characterized by a number of unique features, including the use of imperial units in some sports, reflecting the American measurement system.
Swimming events at the 1904 Olympics were conducted in a man-made lake within Forest Park, which was adapted for the competition. The 100 yard backstroke was introduced as a new event, replacing the 100 meter backstroke contested in the 1900 Paris Olympics. This change was largely due to the American setting and the preference for yards over meters.
## Event Details
### Venue and Conditions
The swimming events were held in an artificial lake in Forest Park, St. Louis. The water was fresh and the course was marked out to accommodate the various distances. The 100 yard backstroke was swum in a straight course, with swimmers starting in the water and racing on their backs for the entire distance.
The outdoor setting and natural water conditions presented challenges such as variable temperatures and potential water currents, which were factors that athletes had to contend with during their races.
### Participants
The men’s 100 yard backstroke event featured a small field of competitors, primarily from the United States, reflecting the limited international participation at the 1904 Games. The event attracted some of the leading American backstroke swimmers of the era.
### Competition Format
The competition was conducted in a single final race, as the number of entrants did not necessitate preliminary heats. Swimmers competed simultaneously, and the winner was determined by the fastest time over the 100 yard distance.
## Results
### Medalists
– **Gold:** Walter Brack (United States)
– **Silver:** Georg Zacharias (Germany)
– **Bronze:** Georg Hoffmann (Germany)
Walter Brack secured the gold medal with a winning time that set a benchmark for the event. The German swimmers Georg Zacharias and Georg Hoffmann took silver and bronze respectively, demonstrating the competitive presence of European athletes despite the predominantly American field.
### Winning Time
Walter Brack’s winning time was recorded as 1 minute and 16.6 seconds. This time was notable for the era and set a precedent for future backstroke events, although direct comparisons with metric distances are complicated by the difference in measurement units.
## Significance
The men’s 100 yard backstroke at the 1904 Olympics holds historical significance as the only Olympic backstroke event contested over a 100 yard distance. Subsequent Olympic Games standardized swimming events to metric distances, making this event a unique occurrence in Olympic swimming history.
The event also reflected the early development of competitive backstroke technique and training, contributing to the evolution of swimming as a sport. The 1904 Games themselves were a pivotal moment in Olympic history, marking the expansion of the Games to North America and the integration of new sports and formats.
## Legacy
Following the 1904 Olympics, the backstroke events returned to metric distances, with the 100 meter backstroke becoming the standard in subsequent Games. The 1904 event remains a point of interest for historians and swimming enthusiasts due to its distinctive distance and the context of the Games.
The performances of the medalists, particularly Walter Brack, are remembered as part of the early Olympic swimming narrative, illustrating the international competition and athleticism of the period.
—
**Meta Description:**
The men’s 100 yard backstroke at the 1904 Summer Olympics was a unique swimming event held in St. Louis, notable for its imperial distance and early Olympic backstroke competition. Walter Brack won gold in this singular Olympic race.