The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-28
Admits He Played Profess
sional Baseballin Eastern
Carolina League.
STATEMENT SENT
A. A. u. COMMITTEE
Arrangements Already Made to
Return All Trophies to Olym-
pic Committee at Stockholm.
United States Loses Many
Points, but Still Leads
All Nations.

New York, January Thames
Tborne. who returned from Stock
holm the acknowledged hero of the
Olylnpic games, to-day admitted that
the laurels showered upon him as an
amateur athlete were undeserved and
that tho charges that he had played
professional baseball were true. In
the history of amateur athletics there
Is no case to parallel the rise 10 fame
of the Sac and Fox Indian and his
even more meteoric descent to the
ranks of the professionals His pun
sishment includes the loss OF all
trophies won by him as an amateur
and the wiping out from tho record
books of all the performances to his
credit.
For years recognized as one OF the
best all-round athletes in America,
Thorpe reached the pinnacle OF his
successes when nc carried on the
honors in the two most severe tests
of athletic ability at the olympic
games-the Penthalon and Decath-
Ion. For his victories in these events
he was sought out by the King of
Sweden and congratulated by him
as the best athlete the world had
produced.
Modest. unas.uming and bearing his
honors meekly, the noted Indian re-
turned to this country and was the
victorious American team. He spent the
winter at the Carlisle School and was
preparing for the coming campaign on
the track and field when the startling
story was printed in Worcester paper
that the most distinguished athlete
in the world had been q member OF
professional ball team in Carolina
There was furry in athletic circles ana
"a half-hearted denial before the damn
ing evidence came rolling in from all
sides. Hopes that some great mistake
had been made were dashed TO the
ground when Glenn Warner, coach or
the Carlisle team. came to New ork
to-day bringing with him signed state
ment from Thorpe that he had played
ball as charged with the Rocky Mount
and Fayetteville teams in the Eastern
Carolina League. His statement fol-
lows:
Thorpe's Statement.
Carlisle, Pa. January 20.
James f. Sullivan. New York, y. Y
Dear Sir,-When the interview with
Mr.. Clancy stating that | had played
baseball on the Winston-Salem team
was shown me, / told Mr.. Warner that
il was not true, and in fact / did not
play on that team But so mucn mas
been said in the papers since then that
l went to the school authorities TINS
morning and told them just what there
was in the stories
played baseball at Rocky Mount
and at Fayetteville, N c., in the sum
mer of 1909 and 1910 under my own name
on the same teams | played with. were
several college men from the North
who were earning money by ball play
ing during their vacations and VINO We're
regarded as amateurs at home olo
not play for the money there was IN IL
because my property brings me III
enough money to live on, put because
/ liked TO play ball. was not very
wise to the ways of the world and did
not realize that this was wrong, ano
that it would make me professional
in track sports. although l learned
from the other players that 1t would Dc
better for me not to let any one kho"
that | was playing. and for that treasoi u
! l never told an yone at the scnooi ABOUT
il until to-day.
In the fall of 1911 ] applied Tor re
admission to this school, and came back
to continue my studies and take part
I in the school sports and, OF course,
/ / wanted to get on the Olympic team
| and take the trip to Stockholm.
had Mr. Warner send in my appllca-
! zion for registering in the A A. U.
after had answered the questions and
signed it. and / received my caro-
allowing me TO compete IN the winter
meets and other track sports l never
! realized until now what big mistake
/ made by keeping it a secret about my
I ball playing and / am sorry l dld So
! ] hope I will be partly excused by the
! fact that / was simply an Indian schooi-
/ boy and did not know all about sIcn
/ things. In fact l did not know that
/ ] was doing wrong. because 1 was
doing what | knew several other col
lege men had done. except that they
did not use their own names.
/ have always liked sport and only
played or run races for the fun OF the
thing, and never 20 earn money
have received offers amounting TO
thousands of dollars since my victories
I last summer. but ] have turned them
all down because I did not care TO make