Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-28


vestigation. which eliminated in a
meeting. today, of the officials of the
A A. T., and the American Olympic
committee in this city. Those in at
tendance were Gustavus I. Kirby,
president of the A. A. t.. and vice
president of the American Olympic
committee, James T. Sullivan, seere-
tary, and Barlow S. Weeks of the
registration committee of the A. A.
L.. and vice president of the Olympic
committee. f
Prior to the converting of the meet
ing, Glenn S. Warner, athletic direc-
tor of the Carlisle Indian School,
called on Mr., Sullivan and presented
to him Thorpes confession of profess
sionalistn and a letter expressing the
regret of M. Friedman, superintend-
ent of the Carlisle School, that his
premier athlete was guilty as charged.
Thorpe's letter was as follows:
Carlisle, Pa, Jan. &c. 1913.
James E. Sullivan, New York.
Dear Sir:-When the interview with Mr..
Clancy stating that l had played base
ball on the Winston Salem team was
shown me, told Mr. Warner that it was
not true and in fact 1 did not play on
that team. But so much has been said
in the papers since then. that I went to
the school authorities. this morning, and
told them just what there was in the sto-
ries. 1 played baseball at Rocky Mount
and at Fayetteville, n. c.. in the summer
of 1909 and 1910. under my own name.
On the Same teams l played with Were
several college men from the North, who
were earning money by ball playing. dur
ing their vacations, and who were regard
ed as amateurs at home. l did not play
for the money there was in it, because
my property brings me in enough money
to live on. but because I liked to play
ball. / was not very wise in the ways
of the world and did not realize this was
wrong, and it would make me a profess
sional in track sports, although | learned
from the other players that it would be
better for me not to let anyone know
that l was playing and for that reason
never told anyone at the school about it,
until today
In the fall of 1909, l applied for readmis-
sion TO this school and came back to con-
tinue my studies and take part in the
school sports and of course / wanted to
get Oii Llit oiyIiIpiC team uliu ldht NId
trip to Stockholm. | had Mr.. Warner send
in my application for registering in the
A. A. U. after l had answered the aues-
tions and signed it and / received my
card allowing me to compete in the VIM
ter meets and other track sports. L never
realized until now what big mistake L
made by keeping il a secret about my ball
playing and | am sorry / did SO. l hope
/ will be partly excused by the fact that
i was simply an Indian school boy and
did not know all about such things. In
fact, l did not know that | was doing
wrong. because l was doing what / knew
several other college men had done, ex-
cept that they did not use their own
names.
l have always liked sports and always
played on run races for the fun of the
things and never to earn money. have
received offers amounting, to thousands
of dollars since my victories, last sum
MGR but have turned them all down.
bctaiise ] did not care to may money
from my athletic skill. / am very sorry,
Mr. Sullivan, to have it end this way and
/ hope the Amateur Athletic Union and
the people will not be too hard in judg-
mig me.
Yours truly,
JAMES THORPE.
Mr.. Friedman in his letter says
that neither the faculty of the Carl
isle Indian School nor Athletic Di-
rector Warner had knowledge of
Thorpe's professionalism and declares
the confession has brought gloom TO
the entire Institution.
The committee which met, today, TO
investigate the charges against
Thorpe, after having read the con-
fession of the athlete issued state
ment in effect that Thorpe was adj
mitted as a member of the Olympic
team without the least suspicion of his
ever being professional. They JUS
tify in some measure Thorpe's posi-
ton by saying it should be noted that
he is an Indian of limited experience
and education and lacking in the
knowledge of others than his own
people. The statement says that while
Thorpe is deserving of the severest
condemnation for concealing the fact
that he had played professional base
! ball. the committee feels that those
who knew of his professional acts are
| deserving of still greater censure for
| their silence. The Amateur Athletic
Union announces that it will do every
! thing in its power to secure the return
of prizes and the REIMBURSEMENT of
points won by Thorpe and immediate
ly will eliminate the records of the
/ Indian from it's books.
' In the Pentathlon at Stockholm Thorpe
finished first in the running broad jump
first in the 2O0-meters run, first In the
l5Co-meters run and third in the javelir
event. In the Deeathlon. which consisted
OF the l0o-meters dash, the running broad
Jump, shotput, running high jump, 400
meter run, 1l0-meter hurdle, the discus
Z throw, the pole vault, the javelin throw
and the 1500-meters run, Thorpe had q
percentage of s412955 against 7724.4 95 by
Wieslander, Sweden, his nearest oppon-
ent.
! James Thorpe, a Sac and Fox Indian
first was heard of, several years ago, as
a football player with the Carlisle team.
Later he specialized in. weight throwing,
jumping and running. He also became