The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-11-30
jim THORPE THE
IDEAL WHITE HOPE
What Would Greatest Ath.
lete Of Them all do, if
He took to Boxing.
(By Bot Edgren.)


New York. Nov. 3o.-Wouldn't some
searcher for a hope like to get Jim
Thorpe? Imagine what Jim would do
il he were turned loose among the
b~eavyweights!
OF course. it isn't likely that Jim
mas mad time yet to think of taking up
ball. running. jumping. weight throw
ing. all-around athletics. skating. la
crosse. acrobatics, hockey, swimming
and a few other similar pursuits have
kept him fairly busy at Carlisle.
II he ever does happen to take up
boxing. though. look out. He'd be q
champion in. that sport as we'll al in
all the others. There isn't a man in
the ring better built for boxing than
whose other qualifications outrival the
Indians.
Over six feet tall and heavy in pro-
portion, Thorpe has the height and
reach of a champion. He is amazing
ly strong. TIE could fight a hundred
rounds without breaking down. II ne
cessary. This is shown by his phe-
nomenal endurance In athletics. which
enabled him to win both the pentath-
0en-event all-around contest) at
Stockholm. Moreover. Thorpe can
take n amount Of battering. He has
been laid out" in football. and
there isn't a man in America more
closely watched and eagerly attacked
by all opposing players. Carlisle plays
many games during the season. In
every game 1t Is Thorpe that the rival
team tries to put out Of the game"
He must bear the brunt Of every furi-
GUS attack. Two. three. four men are
sent smashing into him at every
chance. And Thorpe grins and boots
his goals and dives through holes in
the defense or "straight-arms" his
way down the field with unfailing
cheerfulness and good nature.
And here we have the most import
es. Everyone knows that there's no
sport in the world better than boxing
for developing s%elf-control. That's be-
self-control is absolutely neces-
sary to the boxer. Without 1t he has
no more chance to win than a nerve-
shaken s~harpshooter has to hit the
bulls eye.
Look at the photograph Of rhorpe's
face. You can see. unhidden by the
massive chin and neck and the high
cheek bones and keen eyes unbounded
good nature combined with unlimited
courage and determination and ag-
g~ressiveness.
AS for the "headwork' that a boxer
needs. Thorpe has shown plenty Of It
in both football and baseball. He's
keen enough to be selected as captain
Of Carlisle's football cam. baseball
nine and basketball team. Captaining
n big basketball team is q thing
that. requires a good head. Thorpe's
individual play as we'll as the way he
runs his team shows that he has an
active brain.
I've seen many a good man go out
for the heavyweight title and a few
good mel land it. But there wasn't a
Thorpe In the lot. Sullivan had the
physique. Corbett had the head. but
physically he wasn't to be compared
with Thorpe. Fitzsimmons was the
Indians equal in stocial courage and
in craft. but certainly not his equal in
strength and endurance. Jeffries was
a bigger man than Thorpe. stronger,
but no more enduring. He was Just
as determined and stoical In the face
OF punishment. but less aggressive, less
swift in attack. Tommy Burns had
everything but the height and weight.
Yes. I'd like to see Jim Thorpe box
--as an amateur. 1t would be a
shame for the great Indian to take
up n professional sport. Here's hop.
ing he never will,