The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-08-02
A MARVELLOUS INDIAN
James Thorpe of the Carlisle School
Worlds Greatest Athlete.

Worlds Greatest Athlete.
James Thorpe, the Carlisle Indian
schoolboy, showed the world in the
recent Olympic games at Stockholm,
through his winning the decathlon
and pentathlon-the 1Oevent and five
event contests-he is the greatest
living marvel of physical strength.
The figures he made in the various
events in the Stockholm stadium at
test that his like has never been seen
and that probably no athlete who
ever lived can boast of such all-round
excellence in track and field work.,
as well as in many other lines of ply
steal endeavor
He stands today pre-eminetly as a
refutation to the allegation on the
part of critics all over the world that
the American plan of developing ath-
letic marvels is accomplished by spec
ialiZaiion carried to unreasonable eX-
tremes. 1t is conceded by his close
followers that he is man of enor-
nous strength, not so much because
of his size--he weighs about 1S5--but
because OF his ability to concentrate
his strength in the channels most
needed Thorpe was found to be nor
NAL when he went to Carlisle as
lad. On entering the school he was
feet 512 inches tall, and weighed
lis pounds. AS bearing on his physi-
cal development, figures at hand now
show that in 1908 he had jumped to
feet liz inches, and his chest
measurement at inspiration and eXpi-
ration, respectively, were Al and 35
inches. He then weighed 1S1
pounds.
Three years afterward, or on Sep
TENDER II, 1911, he was feet / p
inches tall, weighed 1855, and lnspira-
ton and expiration measurements
were 421a and 51a inches. Smooth.
even development, without knots or
bumps, has marked the Sac and Fox
Indians progress all along. To be
sure Thorpe has had the training at
school for the last two years at the
hands of GLENN s. Warner, and he
has done nearly all his work in the
Cumberland valley. which is recogniz-
ed by some as giving the best athletic
environment in America, but in the
building up of this marvellous youth
resort has not been had to unusual
methods.
Warner has never stultified himself
or his pupils by extreme treatment.
Thorpe has lived plainly, and while
he has conformed TO Warmers gener-
al instructions as 10 his manner of
living. he has not been made an ex-
ception at the Carlisle school by
special treatment or privileges. Most
remarkable of all possibly is the
simple fact that he clearly demon
strated to the world by his marvel.
Gus performances at Stockholm that
he is the greatest athlete in the world
by only demonstrating a bare third of
the possibilities that lie in his power.
full, alert body.
Ii must be understood that in ad.
dition to the IL representatives sports
included in his winning the pentath.
Ion and decathlon, he is equally pro
tcient in such sports as throwing the
hammer, swimming, skating, walking,
rowing and possibly a dozen of minor
athletic activities. In addition, he is a
specialist, and one of the greatest in
the world. at football. He runs, side
'NNPof PNuhSNSs uONSto as MCll dS tut
best tootballer that probably ever
lived. He punts and kicks goals with
strength and precision, interferes or
follows interference with cunning.
throws forward passes and makes in.
side kicks with the greatest veterans,
and tackles and uses the stiff arm
with almost perfect technic. That he
has been elected as the captain of
this years Carlisle Indian football
eleven is in itself tribute to his com
plete knowledge of intricate football
rules.
Thorpe pitches at baseball. plays
any base or occupies the field with
equal distinction. At basketball he
is little short of marvel playing
any position. Included among the
other sports which he has mastered
are lacrosse. tennis, hockey. handball
indoor baseball, indoor gymnastics
and medicine bell. CroQuet. cricket
and golf are about the only sports
Thorpe has left alone He is enthus.
iastic over horseback riding and
being a dead shot with the
rife and shotgun.
His easy method of approaching all
of his athletic tasks has been the
subject of much comment. The coun-
try will have an opportunity this year
of seeing Thorpe playing football as
Carlisle's captain. He can stand
more physical punishment at the