[4] Italian authorities were preparing to stage the games when Mount Vesuvius erupted on 7 April 1906, devastating the city of Naples.

The White City Stadium, built in short time for the Games, held 68,000 people, with full crowds turning up to watch the events.

As a result of these changes, the marathon covered a distance of 26 miles and 385 yards (42.195 km), which became the standard length starting with the 1924 Summer Olympics.

On the opening day, following the practice introduced at the Intercalated Games of 1906, teams paraded behind national flags.

However, the arrangement caused complications: The 1908 Olympics also prompted establishment of standard rules for sports, and selection of judges from different countries rather than just the host.

These athletes, William Robbins and John Taylor, were both Americans and decided not to participate in the repeat of the final to protest against the judges' decision.

When he knew that Hefferon was in crisis, Pietri further increased his pace, overtaking him at the 39 km (24 mi) mark.

The discipline, which was an associate event (that is, not official), was performed by facing opponents wearing protective clothing and masks and firing wax bullets.

[12] Less than five months after returning from the Olympic Games in London, Taylor died of typhoid fever on 2 December 1908 at the age of 26.

At the time, tug-of-war was part of athletics and the two different football codes (association and rugby (union)) were listed together.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club continues to host the Wimbledon championships and is the only venue of the 1908 Games that was used for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

[17] Bisley and Henley served as venues in the 1948 Games when the Olympics returned to London forty years later.

Finland, Turkey and New Zealand (as part of the team from Australasia) made their first appearance at the Olympic Games.

They relied on the precedent set by Grand Duchy of Finland, which while being a part of the Russian Empire, competed in London as a separate country.

Members of the Irish American Athletic Club won ten of the U.S. Olympic team's total 23 gold medals, or as many as the nations of France, Germany and Italy combined.