The men's javelin throw was one of six throwing events on the Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme in London.

The javelin was required to be held in the middle.

[2] These were the standing world and Olympic records (in metres) prior to this competition.

Two days earlier in the freestyle javelin throw event Eric Lemming improved his own world and Olympic record set at the 1906 Summer Olympics with 53.90 m (he threw the javelin in a conventional manner).

(*) unofficial Eric Lemming set a new world and Olympic record with 54.83 m.