Reception
The World's Fair officially ended on December 1, 1904. The 1904 St. Louis Olympics garnered huge amounts of praise, especially from the public. They had never seen sports in this way before, and they were amazed. People who did not attend the games followed along closely via newspapers in which journalists saluted the athletes, organizers, and spectators.
Everyone agreed the Olympics was a success. It boosted the prestige of the U.S. and improved the profile of the Olympic movement. Even Coubertin lauded the success in St. Louis, awarding Sullivan a gold medal despite their personal animosities.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 28, 1904 Daily Arkansas Gazette. Sep 1, 1904
Looking back now, it can be argued that the 1904 Olympics was not a great success. St. Louis basically stole the games from Chicago, many athletes were endangered due to choices made by Olympic officials, and the Games were mired with controversy and a lack of rules.
About 30 years later in 1931, Coubertin published a memoir blasting the 1904 Olympics. This memoir has been criticized for containing selective recollections, exaggerated claims, and false statements. His memoir turned the "forgotten Olympics" into the "failed Olympics." His unhappiness about the transfer of the Games and his distaste for James Sullivan, who had died in 1904, were evident. Coubertin's account was furthered by the publication of An Approved History of the Olympic Games by Bill Henry in 1948, which was endorsed by Coubertin. It can be difficult to tell which information in these accounts is true, and historians have debated their credibility.
Impact
St. Louis was the birthplace of the Olympics in America. The Games generated enthusiasm for the events and sports in general and paved the way for future Olympics. The U.S. has hosted the Olympics 7 times since St. Louis. St. Louis continues to offer grand sporting events, and the Olympics have since evolved in its tradition.
Francis Field Gate Olympics logo created in 1913 by Coubertin