Lauri "Tahko" Pihkala was the inventor of pesäpallo, the Finnish variant of baseball. He was born in the vicarage of Pihtipudas, the son of the minister Alexander Gummerus. In 1969 he became one of the first persons to receive an honorary doctorate in Sport Sciences from the University of Jyväskylä, together with president Urho Kekkonen and Professor Kaarina Kari.
Finland competed at the Summer Olympic Games for the first time at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. The Grand Duchy of Finland was an autonomous part of the Russian Empire at the time, which allowed it to send a separate team to the Games.
Ragnar Olof Jakob Stenberg was a Finnish sprinter and a sports leader.
Johan "John" Hjalmar Lindroth was a Finnish gymnast who won bronze in the 1908 Summer Olympics.
Aarne Ihamo Salovaara was a Finnish athlete who won two Olympic medals and two Finnish championships.
Johan Valdemar "Juho" Halme was a Finnish track and field athlete who competed in the 1908 and 1912 Summer Olympics and won six Finnish championships in various events in 1907–1916. He died during the Finnish Civil War. He was born and died in Helsinki.
Armas Johannes Pesonen was a Finnish track and field athlete who competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics.
Jalmari Verneri Sauli was a Finnish writer and track and field athlete who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.
Evert Brynolf Jakobsson was a Finnish javelin thrower who competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics.
Voitto Valdemar Kolho was a Finnish sport shooter, who won an Olympic bronze and five Finnish national championships.
Jarl Gustaf Anian Jakobsson was a Finnish track and field athlete who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.
Oskar Wilhelm Wetzell was a Finnish diver, who competed at the 1908 and the 1912 Summer Olympics.
Heikki Huttunen was a Finnish sport shooter who competed at the 1908, the 1912 and the 1924 Summer Olympics and won five Finnish national championship golds.
Huvi Hjalmar Tuiskunen was a Finnish sport shooter who competed at the 1908 and 1912 Summer Olympics and won a Finnish championship in 1907.
Emil Michael Nässling was a Finnish sports shooter who competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics and won one Finnish national championship gold.
Frans Reinold Nässling was a Finnish sports shooter who competed at the 1908 and 1920 Summer Olympics and won three Finnish national championship golds.
Hugo Alarik Jonsson was a Finnish swimmer who competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics.
John Gustav Henriksson was a Finnish swimmer, who competed in two events at the 1908 Summer Olympics.
Herman Edvard Cederberg was a Finnish swimmer who competed at the 1908 and the 1912 Summer Olympics.
Lauri Wilskman was a Finnish track and field athlete who competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics.
