Jim Thorpe

Jim Thorpe was a Native American multi-sport athlete who became one of the most celebrated figures in early 20th-century sports.

Jim Thorpe was a Native American multi-sport athlete who became one of the most celebrated figures in early 20th-century sports. He won Olympic gold medals in the pentathlon and decathlon at the 1912 Summer Olympics, and later played professional football, baseball, and basketball. His medals were stripped in 1913 and were restored by the International Olympic Committee in 1982, with a 2022 IOC decision revising Olympic records to recognize him as the standalone winner in both events.

Early life

Thorpe was born on May 28, 1888, near Prague in Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), U.S. He was raised in a Native American family and was a member of the Sac and Fox Nation. Sources also note mixed Indigenous ancestry.

Athletic career

Thorpe became famous for his success across multiple sports, especially track and field and American football. He played at Carlisle Indian School and later competed professionally in football, baseball, and basketball.

1912 Olympics

At the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Thorpe won gold medals in the pentathlon and decathlon. His medals were later revoked because officials determined he had violated amateur eligibility rules by playing semi-professional baseball before the Olympics. The IOC restored them in 1982, and in 2022 it revised records to recognize him as the standalone winner of both events.

Legacy

Thorpe has been widely recognized as one of the greatest athletes in American history. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. The town of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, was named in his honour.