The 1904 Olympic Games were originally scheduled to take place in Chicago. The founders of the Olympic movement looked forward to the Game's venue in one of the great metropolises of the New World. Furthermore, Chicago was infamous (as it still is today) for its sports enthusiasm. However, St. Louis (host of the 1904 World Fair in celebration of the centenary of the Louisiana Purchase) petitioned President Theodore Roosevelt to move the Games. Roosevelt agreed. Not surprisingly his face appears on many official Olympic programs and posters. However, by moving the Olympics to St. Louis, the Games were again reduced to side show status at a world exposition (as they were previously in 1900 in Paris.) Only 107 non-American athletes came to St. Louis (of which 52 were Canadian). Even Baron de Coubertin, founder of the Olympic movement, failed to attend. The St. Louis Games were largely an American college and club competition.