The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-26

The Jim Inorpes VINO is tine CHdiu
piom sli-around amateur athlete
played with the Rocky Mount team. of
the Eastern Carolina league. In 1910.
said a Richmond man last night, at
ter reading the statement that the
great Indian athlete had been charged
with professionalism.
"I know there is great deal or
confusion about the name. It seems
there were two Jim Thorpes and
Frank Thorpe who were in baseball,
but the Thorpe that played with the
Rocky Mount team was Jim Thorpe,
the Indian athlete.
d HE was a wild fellow too, as some
of the stories printed recently con-
corning hin, have stated. 1t took s'x
policemen to arrest him one night
when he got mixed up with frewatcr
and went on r. rampage.
Thorpe was a pitcher on Manager
Levy's team. Everybody in that sec
err and many wondered why he DID
not get into the big show.
| Call ON Rocky Mount.
| IF the Amateur Athletic union
wishes to get the goods on Thorpe
| all they have to do Is to get in touch
with the owners of the Rocky Mount
/ club for the season of 1910.
| If the Richmond man is correct
( Thorpe will not only lose all the anna
/ teuF records created 10 hAllA, baS Nv
| will have to give up the Olympic
| trophy won by him in the all-around
championship.
Thorpe won the Decathion and PEN
/ tathlon events and the bronze trophy
given by the King of Sweden as we'll
/ as special trophy donated oy tae
/ Gar Of Russia. :,
/ THE official records OF the baseball
season for 1910 show that player
/ named Thorpe played with the ROCKY
/ Mount team. but whether TINS Inorpe
/ is Jim Thorpe. the amateur athlete,
/ is yet TO be settled.
/ NEW YORK, Jan 25.--Startiing
charges that Jim Thorpe. the sac ana
Fox Indian, was professional stirred
{ the Amateur Athletic union officials
I in this city into activity yesteroay.
/ The charges had been simnerlhs
~ rough the New England district for
two DAYS, but official notice reached
the headquarters of the a. A. L. only
yeaerday The allegations made
against the great Indian athlete were
so circumstantial In character tnat at
the first recital they bore convic-
ton, but later developments showed
that there was every reason 10 pc
| lieve that an enterprising reporter
/ had rnisuuoted the man who was sup
| posed TO make the charges and that
! there was a likelihood that the cnam-
pion of champions would be absolved
when the matter was fully invesfi-
gated.
est sensation In amateur athletic cir
cles that has ever been produced by
a published statement that sup
posed amateur athlete was proIes-
sional. They even put in the SHADOW
/ the charges made against Malcolm w.
Ford when he was the ai-round
49, yxrff n r.
ing as a professional at Springfield.
Mass Thorpe's victories in the Olym-
: utr--rurYres elevate his ~case-tfstt one
Of international Importance and the
value of Americas victories at STOCK
| holm will be dimmed II the sllgnt-
est suspicion remains against the
leading athlete of the team and the
man who received the Endorsement
of the King of Sweden as the greatest
athlete in the world.
AS soon as the news was received
James z. Sullivan, secretary OF the
A. A T.. and chairman of the nation
al registration committee, wrote 90
Glenn Warner. who, as the Carlisle
coach, is sponsor for the Indian. ask
ing for an explanation. Before the
letter had time to reach Warner the
coach called Mr.. Sullivan ON the long
distance phone and his statement did
much to reassure the A. A. U. secre-
tary.
Warner said that he had letter
from Clancy to the effect that at no
time did ne have Thorpe under con-
tract nor did he ever pay him any
money. He said that Thorpe was In
the South on hunting trip ana aa-
4 n1itted. thas the: Indian played WafAs
the winston Salem team in practice,
but that he never played IN game.
His picture had been taken with the
team in a group, but that was as tar
as his connection with the team Went.
Clancy said he would write Secretary
Sullivan to that effect.
/ Secretary Sullivan said that tho
mere fact that these charges had been
made against Americas premier per-
former was a terrible blow TO Amert-
can athletics The conversation he
bad with Glenn Warner had given
him great hope that there was no
truth in the charges. but that, tho
duty of the A. A. z. in the matter was
! plain and the only course open wa
to investigate the mater fully. Should
j Thorpe be proved to have played
professional ball, the path OF the Al:
A. IT, was clear The trophies won
by him at the Olympic games would
have to be returned with the apofoeae9
of the American Olympic committees
that he had been allowed to compete-
The same course would be taken In
regard to Thorpe's victories and re-
cords gained on American soil as way
taken when Arthur Duffy was adj
Judged professional
The all around championship would
be awarded to Bredemus, who dn-
ished second to Thorpe last DecorA-
ton Day, and the record for the event
would revert to Martin Sheridan, who
: held it before the Indian eclipsed the
! figures. s
Gustavus T. Kirby. president OF the
: A. A. T., received a telegram frorn
, Warner last night to the effect thats
!, there was no truth In the chaT9e4s
and that Thorpe, Is and always hAMg
: been an amateur He had heard ~
! the explanation given to. Mr.. Snl1kss
80, apd said that ha ufarad lxvAxk2