Jim Thorpe, Star Athlete
Born: May 28, 1888 in Prague, Oklahoma
Died: March 28, 1953, in Lomita, California
Twice an an All-American in football. Winner of two gold medals in the 1912 Olympic Games. Major league baseball player and professional football star
In 1911, tiny Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania became a powerhouse in college football. The main reason was a Native-American halfback named Jim Thorpe, one of the most amazing athletes in history. A powerful runner, an accurate kicker, and a terror on defense, Thorpe was named All-American in 1911 and 1912. In 1912, he scored 25 touchdowns and led Carlisle to a 27-6 win over Army.
The year 1912 also witnessed Thorpe's greatest feat: At the Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden, he became the only man ever to win both the decathlon and pentathlon. But a year later, when Olympic officials learned that he had played minor-league baseball for two summers, his gold medals were taken from him for being a professional athlete.
Thorpe began playing major league baseball in 1913. He was also one of the first stars of professional football, playing from 1913 to 1928. In 1950, sports writers and broadcasters named him the greatest American athlete and the greatest football player of the first half of the century.
Thorpe's Popularity
Jim Thorpe was not only one of the greatest stars of professional football in its early years, but also one of the most popular. He was a coach as well as a player. And, in 1920-1921, he served as the first president of the association that later became the National Football League.
Versatility
While Thorpe was playing professional football, he was also a major-league baseball player for seven years. Never a great star in baseball, he still managed to bat .327 for the Boston Braves in 1919, his last year. He was also outstanding in such sports as swimming, basketball, boxing, lacrosse, and hockey.
Update
After years of effort by family and friends, Jim Thorpe's amateur status for 1912 was restored in 1973. Nine years later, the International Olympic Committee returned his two gold medals to his family and restored his name to the record books.