Fencing at the 1904 Summer Olympics

Dates 7 – 9 September 1904
Medal Events 5
Non-medal Events 1

The 1904 Olympic fencing events were contested in the Physical Culture Gymnasium adjacent to Francis field on 7-8 September 1904. There were five events: foil, sabre, dueling swords (épée), single sticks, and team foil.

There were foreign competitors in the fencing events, both from Cuba and Germany. Germany sent one competitor, Gustav Casmir. The two Cuban fencers were Ramón Fonst and Manuel Díaz. Fonst had competed at the 1900 Olympics in Paris, where he had won the épée and in St. Louis he repeated in that event and also won a gold medal in the foil competition. He also led a mixed Cuban/U.S. team to the championship in the team foil.

The 1904 fencing competitions were not simply United States championships, as the AAU Fencing Championships were held earlier in the year. Thus, with foreign competitors, amateur competition only and events open to all competitors, the fencing events definitely should be considered as part of the Olympic games.

Strangely, although the events were held in the United States and in most sports the best American athletes competed, the best American fencer of that era, Charles Bothner, who had been a multiple national champion in foil, épée and sabre, did not show up in St. Louis to compete.

Events

Event Status Date Participants NOCs
Foil, Individual, Men Olympic 7 September 1904 9 4
Foil, Team, Men Olympic 8 September 1904 6 2
Épée, Individual, Men Olympic 7 September 1904 5 3
Sabre, Individual, Men Olympic 8 September 1904 5 2
Single Sticks, Individual, Men Olympic 8 September 1904 3 1
11 (11/0) 4 (4/0)

Non-medal events

Event Status Date Participants NOCs
Foil, Individual, Boys Olympic (non-medal) 9 September 1904 3 2
0 (0/0) 0 (0/0)

Medals

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Foil, Individual, Men Ramón FonstCUB Albertson Van Zo PostUSA Charles TathamUSA
Foil, Team, Men Mixed teamMIX United StatesUSA
Épée, Individual, Men Ramón FonstCUB Charles TathamUSA Albertson Van Zo PostUSA
Sabre, Individual, Men Manuel DíazCUB William GrebeUSA Albertson Van Zo PostUSA
Single Sticks, Individual, Men Albertson Van Zo PostUSA William Scott O'ConnorUSA William GrebeUSA

Medal table

NOC Gold Silver Bronze Total
Cuba CUB 3 0 0 3
United States USA 1 5 4 10
Mixed team MIX 1 0 0 1