Knowledge Seeker
  • Home
  • Articles

Jim Thorpe (1887 - 1953)

1/11/2020

 
I could write so much about the legendary Jim Thorpe, but I'll keep it as short as I can. He was American Indian named Bright Hope (he changed his name later), and he grew up in Oklahoma. He was bright and athletic and got the opportunity to attend Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, PA. While there he blew everyone away immediately in track and field and the track and field plus football coach was the famous "Pop" Warner. Amazingly, he convinced Army to let them play against them in a football classic.

Pop had an ace up his sleeve as one day Thorpe convinced him to let him tryout for football. Initially Pop didn't want him to do it because the track team was winning track meets because of Thorpe so he didn't want him to get injured, but when he put Thorpe on the practice field, he was unstoppable. So if anything, he wanted to see how someone like Thorpe could compete against a strong football program like Army's.

And guess who was on Army's team....wait for it...Dwight D. Eisenhower. It was a huge event as sports were the primary entertainment back then, so thousands of people showed up with very little cheering for Carlisle and of course they were expecting a blowout by Army.

When the crowd saw Jim Thorpe run over people and then couldn't be caught for a 92 yard touchdown, they knew they were in trouble. Not only was he running the ball, he was also punting and kicking field goals. Carlisle Indian College shocked the world that day and beat Army 27 to 6.

Thorpe went on to compete in the Olympics where he won a few Gold Medals; one in the decathlon where he had to compete in a variety of events. What's even more amazing is that he had his shoes stolen before a race and he borrowed some shoes that  didn't quite fit but he ran with them anyway and won the Gold.

Thorpe could play any sport and the New York Giants baseball team got him to sign a contract. Professional football hadn't taken off yet but there were some professional leagues with teams that have been long forgotten, but Thorpe was so good that he was paid $250 a game which is over $6,000 in today's dollars. This was enough to make any man rich back then. 

When his athletic career was over, he didn't have a purpose any longer. He did odd jobs and even played an Indian in various western movies and television shows. Apart from his career in films, he also worked as a construction worker, a doorman (bouncer), a security guard, a ditchdigger, and he was a Merchant Marine. He married three times and had eight children. Unfortunately he became an alcoholic and he and his wife were destitute upon his death at the age of 65. A sad ending to one of the greatest athletes of all time.   
  

Comments are closed.

    Author: John Mann

    Picture

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly