Athletics at the 1912 Stockholm Summer Games:

Three Americans were highly considered for this event. Ed Lindberg had won the AAU Championship in 1909 and 1911 and won the central U.S. Olympic Trial. Donnell Young won the 1911 IC4A title and the eastern U.S. Olympic Trial. The 1912 IC4A 440 yard champion had been Syracuse's Charles Reidpath.

In the fifth semi-final, Young was involved in a controversial incident with Germany's Hanns Braun. On the first curve, Braun tried to cut in front of Young, who reacted by pushing Braun violently to the outside of the track. Young finished first but was disqualified and Braun was advanced to the final, where he would compete against four Americans - Reidpath, Lindberg, Ted Meredith, and Carroll Haff.

The first round and semi-finals had been run without lanes. But the Braun/Young incident changed that and strings were put up for the final, and the runners ran in lanes. Braun took the lead until he was passed on the last curve by Reidpath. Reidpath held on to narrowly defeat Braun, with Lindberg taking the bronze medal.