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All-American Jim Thorpe also happened to be Native American by Gerry Brown Jim Thorpe competes in the pentathalon competition in Stockholm, 1912. (Source: Allsport) Related Links Olympics Overview 2012Track & Field PreviewEncyclopedia: Track & FieldJim Thorpe startled the world in 1912. As part of the U.S. delegation competing at the 1912 Summer Games in Stockholm, he pulled off one of the most impressive sporting feats in history, simply destroying the world’s best in the decathlon and pentathlon. Perhaps the greatest all-around athlete of all time, Thorpe, a Sac and Fox Indian, bested his competitors by enormous margins, finishing first in nine of the 15 separate track and field events that made up the two competitions. Thorpe was a track and football star under legendary coach Pop Warner at Carlisle Institute, a vocational school for Native Americans, before and after his trip to Stockholm. On the boat trip over to Sweden the naturally gifted Thorpe mostly napped while his teammates trained. At the Games’ closing ceremonies King Gustav V told him, “Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world!” To which Thorpe reportedly replied, “Thanks, king.” In 1913, Thorpe was stripped of his two gold medals after the Amateur Athletic Union found out that he played for a minor-league baseball team from 1909–10. Plenty of amateur athletes played professional ball in those days, but did so under assumed names. Thorpe’s mistake was owning up to it and ironically, it would come out years later that Thorpe and his teammates at Carlisle were paid more for playing college football than for professional baseball. Not until 1982, almost 30 years after his death, was Thorpe given back his standing as a two-time Olympic gold medallist. More from 2012 Summer Olympics

.com/spot/mm-thorpe.html

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All-American Jim Thorpe also happened to be Native American

Jim Thorpe startled the world in 1912. As part of the U.S. delegation competing at the 1912 Summer Games in Stockholm, he pulled off one of the most impressive sporting feats in history, simply destroying the world’s best in the decathlon and pentathlon. Perhaps the greatest all-around athlete of all time, Thorpe, a Sac and Fox Indian, bested his competitors by enormous margins, finishing first in nine of the 15 separate track and field events that made up the two competitions.

Jim Thorpe competes in the pentathalon competition in Stockholm, 1912. (Source: Allsport)

  • Olympics Overview 2012Track & Field PreviewEncyclopedia: Track & Field

Thorpe was a track and football star under legendary coach Pop Warner at Carlisle Institute, a vocational school for Native Americans, before and after his trip to Stockholm. On the boat trip over to Sweden the naturally gifted Thorpe mostly napped while his teammates trained. At the Games’ closing ceremonies King Gustav V told him, “Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world!” To which Thorpe reportedly replied, “Thanks, king.”

In 1913, Thorpe was stripped of his two gold medals after the Amateur Athletic Union found out that he played for a minor-league baseball team from 1909–10. Plenty of amateur athletes played professional ball in those days, but did so under assumed names. Thorpe’s mistake was owning up to it and ironically, it would come out years later that Thorpe and his teammates at Carlisle were paid more for playing college football than for professional baseball. Not until 1982, almost 30 years after his death, was Thorpe given back his standing as a two-time Olympic gold medallist.

More from 2012 Summer Olympics

.com/spot/mm-thorpe.html

Sources +

Our Common Sources

Our Common Sources

Memorable Olympic Moments: Jim Thorpe, Stockholm 1912

  • Memorable Olympic Moments: Jim Thorpe, Stockholm 1912

TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.

Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Current Events This Week: January 2023

African Americans by the Numbers

Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents

The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales

TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.

Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Current Events This Week: January 2023

African Americans by the Numbers

Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents

The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales

  • Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
  • The Twelve Dancing Princesses
  • Current Events This Week: January 2023
  • African Americans by the Numbers
  • Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
  • The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales