Water polo at the 1904 Summer Olympics

Men's water polo at the Games of the III Olympiad
Water polo game during 1904 Summer Olympics.
Venue	U.S. Life Saving Exhibit Lake
Date	September 5 (semifinal) September 6 (final)
Competitors	21 from 1 nation
Medalists
New York Athletic Club  United States Chicago Athletic Association  United States Missouri Athletic Club  United States

At the 1904 Summer Olympics, a water polo tournament was contested, three club teams of seven players each entered.[1] A German team tried to enter, but its entry was refused because the players did not play for the same club.[2] The event took place in a pond in Forest Park, the location of both the Olympics and the World's Fair.[3] The pond was also used by cattle, and four of the Olympians died of typhus soon after the competition.[2]

Previously, the International Olympic Committee and International Swimming Federation (FINA) considered the water polo event at the 1904 Olympics as a demonstration sport.[1] However, in July 2021, after accepting the recommendation of Olympic historian Bill Mallon, the IOC recognized water polo along with several others as an official sport of the 1904 Olympic program.[4]