A legend in the sports world, Jim Thorpe will always be remembered
Thorpe had an impact on the National Football League (NFL) from its founding until he was elected its first president in 1920,
The story of Jim Thorpe is one of success, hardship, and an enduring legacy. Originating from the Sac and Fox Nations, this Native American athlete made a lasting impression on history with his incredible adaptability and persistent determination.
During the Olympics in Stockholm in July 1912, Jim Thorpe became an international sensation. The Games' patron, King Gustav V of Sweden, was so pleased that he stated, "You, sir, are the greatest athlete in the world." Thorpe gave an amazing performance.
He was unstoppable in the pentathlon, winning four of the five events. The javelin was the only competition he didn't win. In the decathlon, Thorpe's determination was evident once more. He established a world record of 8,412 points, surpassing the score of Hugo Wieslander of Sweden, his closest competitor, by roughly 700 points. Until 1948, this record was unbroken.
Thorpe was a talented athlete outside of the Olympics. He played baseball for the Rocky Mountain team in North Carolina between 1909 and 1910, getting little compensation for his appearances. But this apparently benign deed sparked debate. A story that arose in 1913 claimed that Thorpe had played professional baseball, which was against amateur standards. He lost all of his Olympic championships as a result.
The most talented athlete in the world at the time, Jim Thorpe, had his gold medals from the 1912 Olympics taken away from him after it was found he had made a small amount of money playing baseball.
Three decades after his passing, in 1983, justice was finally done. In a moving ceremony that his children witnessed, the International Olympic Committee restored Thorpe's medals, recognising his due position in Olympic history.
After the Olympics, Jim Thorpe's athletic career was far from over. Thorpe was born Wa-Tho-Huk, which means "Bright Path," and he was destined to excel in a variety of sports. He was a standout player in American football, baseball, and basketball.
Thorpe was an elite player for the Ohio Canton Bulldogs. 1916, 1917, and 1919 saw the Bulldogs crowned "world champions." Thorpe had an impact on the National Football League (NFL) from its founding until he was elected its first president in 1920. His athletic career ended when he was 41, at which point he made the switch to the silver screen, playing Native American roles in almost 50 different movies.
At the age of 64, Thorpe passed suddenly from heart failure on March 28, 1953. Even though he died in poverty, his impact lived on. He was voted the best American football player and athlete of the first half of the 20th century by the Associated Press. In 2000, he was named the greatest American athlete of the century by an ABC Sports poll.
The town of Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, was renamed Jim Thorpe as a unique homage. The town that became his ultimate resting place was called "The Switzerland of America." His marble grave and a monument bearing King Gustav V's well-known remarks are located at his memorial site, which was built using dirt from his birthplace Oklahoma and the Olympic Stadium in Stockholm.
Jim Thorpe's life serves as an example of the strength of adaptability and resiliency. He was a great athlete, setting records in Stockholm and leading the way in professional American football. Despite his hardships, which included losing and then regaining his Olympic titles, Thorpe's legacy has not been damaged.
