Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-07-20
Jim Thorpe, Carlisle Indian,
Is Greatest Of All Athletes

onstrating beyond the
shadow of doubt that he is the
greatest athletic marvel of the age
the young Carlisle student realized
the ambition of his life. Thorpe
had long since been acclaimed the
greatest all-around athlete by his
own countrymen, but the sturdy,
copper-hue youth was set on
gaining greater laurels. and just
how we'll he succeeded was told
by cable flashes from Stockholm a
few days ago.
They described how the 1.-the
limbed marvel. real son of the
nations forefathers, astonished the
gathering of people from all parts
of the world by his Wonderful feats
on the track and field, how he ex-
celled countless competitors, men
Of brain and Drawn, the pick of
other nations, in tests Of skill, speed
and endurance And when Thorpe
captured the last of the ten events
of which the decathlon consisted he
had convinced Olympic spectators
that If ever there lived a finer
specimen of an all-round athlete
the world has yet to become ac-
quainted with him.
OF the IS points rolled up by the
American competitors in capturing
the fifth Olympiad, Thorpe won six,
taking the pentatllion and decath-
lon, the two events that are an ex-
cellent test for all-around prowess
on the track and field.
The pentathlon comprises five
events-the running broad jump,
throwing the javelin, a 200-meter
fat race, throwing the discus and
a 1900 meter fiat race.
The decathlon is a much severer
test for the athlete, numbering
twice as many events. The COM
petition comprises a 100-meter fat
race. running broad jump, putting
the weight, running high jump, 400
meter fiat race, 1f0-meter hurdle
race. throwing the discus, pole
vault, throwing the javelin and
1,500-meter fiat race.
Thorpe by Far the Best.
In all Of these numerous COM
petitions Thorpe stood out far
above any of the contestants and
he had to compete against collec-
ton of athletes. said to be the great
est ever gathered at any athletic
carnival since the revival of the
Olympic games
Thorpe won the the pantathlon
bv six points, which was nine points
better than the second best COM
petitor. R. Bic. a Norwegian. and
nineteen points better than the
third honors. which were divided
by Avery Brundage, of Chicago,
and Frank Lukeman, of Quebec.
The wide difference in points. may
give some idea of how far the In
dian excelled. being based on an
average of his. performance in the
five events.
Out of a possible 10000 points in
the decathlon Thorpe ran up the
unprecedented score of S.412; these
also being figured on an average of
his performance in the events of
speed. strength and skill. H.
Weislander, of Sweden, who took
second honors in this event was
over 200 points behind, and the
~ oil Of
Sweden, fully 1000.
The aborigine was the first ath-
lete of history to win both these
classic tests of power and speed.
Five years ago Thorpe was I'M
known to the athletic world. at that
time living with his people at a set
Element near Prague, Oklahoma.
He halls from the Sac and Fox
tribe of redskins. who inhabit that
territory In 1908 an Indian school
commissioner induced Jims father
to sign an application blank to
have him entered at the Carlisle
Indian school. Jim was eighteen
at that time and had given no evil
dence of possessing the wonder
full ability that has since made him
world famous. He was no different
than the ordinary Indian youth of
that section of the land and there
was nothing in particular to recon-
mend him for enrolment in the
school instead of one of the other
boys.
Glen Warner, the famous coach
at the Indian school, was first at
tracted to the youth in the spring
of that year shortly after he made
his appearance at Carlisle. The
coach was idly watching a flock of
candidates for the Indian track