The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-01-28
American Athletic Union COMMITTEES
Takes Olympic Trophies Away
From Big indian
Star.
SYMPATHY FOR THORPE
Sports Are Angry Because Thorpe
Should DO Punished and Allow
More Serious Offenders
10 Continue.

IInlted Press Leased Wire Service
NEW YORK Jan. 2s.-Nothing but
expressions of sympathy were heard
in every quarter over the plight OF
Jim" Thorpe, the big Indian athlete.
who was yesterday condemned out
OF his own mouth" of the sin of pro-
fessionalism because he played base
ball-a true American sport-with a
now defanct league and has thus been
read out of amateur athletics and all
OF the trophies that he won By his
gallant work In Sweden But there
was much bitter condemnation for the
management of the Al. A. u. for the
manner In which it has handled the
Thorpe case as contrasted with hun
dreds of cases Of real professionalism
right here In the metropolitan district.
The committee did right. it was
conceded. in repudiating Thorpe, and
IN ordering the return of all his
prizes But there was an Gndercur-
rent OF resentment that the commit
tee had not taken cognizance of the
fact that the big Indian had played
professional baseball before his Olym-
pic entry vas put through. 1t was
admitted that IL the A. a. q. had any
real method of investigation the farce
which will certainly be seized upon
by the nations on the other side OF
the pond" to renew their attacks up
on American athletic methods would
| have t.oon ,,rcr a,&a1
j The present registration methods
lof the A. A. e. are antiquated. There
are any number of professionals mas
I; qnerading as amateurs and it was
pointed out that Thorpe. who played
the game for the love OF i. had been
disqualified although he received very
little money. while Brickley, the Har-
ward football star: Flynn of Yale. and
a score OF others during the recent
football season, earned more for one
article from their pens-and In most
] instances they did no. actually write
sentence-than Thorpe did for a
whole season of ball playing ''in the
! bushes but they retain their anna
teur standing
There was g general feeling among
| the real lovers of athletics today that
| something should be done to give Jim
Thorpe the recognition that his Nigh
/! u deeds deserved, despite the fact
! thar all of the records he established
are now automatically wiped out by
I the action OF The A. A. U. Thorpe's
/ clean breast of the matter, saving
( time and trouble, was accepted as q
real proof OF craftsmanship, and al
though the trophies of royalty vii
go 70 others, sporting experts unani
Monsly conceded today that Thorpe
1 viii be more respected than ever fol-
no. having tried to lie out of IT," al
f other amateurs have done In the past
and hare gotten away with it. be
cause the A. A. q. committees have
not been 100 persistent in their inves
legations
The trophies won By Thorpe are al
ready enroute TO Jim Sullivan ana
vii be Immediately sent back TO Swe
den 10 be given to the contestant
Eho finished second TO the incompar
able Indian
Notwithstanding the disqualification
Of Thorpe, the United States still re
mains in the lead IN the re-adjustei
place in the list. In .he decathlol
Swedish athletes finished second
third and fourth 70 the American an
rhe FIVE points are added TO thes
total. making them ~ and putin
them ahead % Finland.
The total Of the United States
reduced from S. 10 T9 through ID
loss Of the Thorpe points. J. ]. Dol
shue Of the United states. taxes
ord, instead Of third. in the psntati
Ion. first honors in which now go Z
F. r Bic Of NorgaY. r. =. L'kenaa
Of Canada moves up from fourth {
third. This gfres NORWAY seye
points. instead OF fur, and Csnad
sixteen, instead % fifteen.