He is the only American Athlete to excel as an amateur and as a professional in three major sports - track and field, football and baseball. The Associated Press also named him America's Greatest All-Around Athlete and Greatest Football player of the half century in 1958. John Madden, popular sports commentator, put Thorpe's name first when he selected his team of the millennium. Thorpe, whose Indian name is Wa Tha Huck or Bright Path, has taken his place in the National Indian Hall of Fame, the Helms Professional Football Hall of Fame, the Professional Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, the National Track and Field Hall of Fame and the Pennsylvania and the Oklahoma halls of fame. More than names on a petition are needed.
Public recognition is paramount in selecting an outstanding athlete.
Many athletes have the advantage of media attention at the peak of their careers or being mentioned in comparison to contemporaries. Thorpe was not that lucky. His memory needs our help. We can contact our local sports reporters and provide them with information about Thorpe's accomplishments. Thorpe may not be a household name, but with our help and Grace's determination, that can be corrected.