OLYMPIC BOXING 1: 1904 OLYMPICS AT ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, UNITED STATES
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 20 Nov 2025
Oliver Kirk, the only boxer to win two gold medals in the same Olympics.
The 1904 Summer Olympics was held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, from July 1 to November 23, 1904. Many events were played at what is now called Francis Field on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. This was the first time that the Olympics were held outside Europe.
Seven boxing events were contested, with the sport making its Olympic debut. They were the flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, middleweight and heavyweight categories.
The competitions were held on Wednesday, September 21, 1904 and on Thursday, September 22, 1904. Contestants in lighter weight classes could also compete in heavier classes.
Oliver Kirk, was champion in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions, and became the only boxer in history to win two gold medals in the same Olympic Games. George Finnegan, Harry Spanjer and Charles Mayer won one gold and one silver medal each.
There was also a demonstration bout for women's boxing, which would later be added to the Olympic program in 2012 in London.
A total of 18 boxers competed at the St. Louis Games and are all from the host nation of the United States. Americans won all seven possible gold medals and the silver and bronze medals.
The winners were:
Flyweight
(47.6 kg / 105 lb)
Gold - George Finnegan (United States)
Silver - Miles Burke (United States)
Bantamweight
(52.2 kg / 115 lb)
Gold - Oliver Kirk (United States)
Silver - George Finnegan (United States)
Featherweight
(56.7 kg / 125 lb)
Gold - Oliver Kirk (United States)
Silver - Frank Haller (United States)
Bronze - Frederick Gilmore (United States)
Lightweight
(61.2 kg / 135 lb)
Gold - Harry Spanjer (United States)
Silver - Russell van Horn (United States)
Bronze - Peter Sturholdt( United States)
Welterweight
(65.8 kg / 145 lb)
Gold - Albert Young ( United States)
Silver - Harry Spanjer (United States)
Bronze - Joseph Lydon (United States)
Middleweight
(71.7 kg / 158 lb)
Gold - Charles Mayer (United States)
Silver - Benjamin Spradley (United States)
Heavyweight
(over 71.7 kg/over 158 lb)
Gold - Samuel Berger (United States)
Silver - Charles Mayer (United States)
Bronze - William Michaels (United States)
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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