Why do you think John Thorpe says that restoring Jim Thorpe’s Olympics records “would give a big boost to Native Americans?”

Answer 1

Hi!

Jim Thorpe is one of the greatest athletes in American history. He was also the first Native American to win Olympic gold medals.

During the 1912 Stockholm games, Thorpe:

1. placed number one in four Olympic events
2. placed top ten in two more events, and
3. accomplished feats no modern athlete has done before.

In 1913, he was stripped of his gold medals after it was discovered he was paid to play baseball as a college athlete before competing in the Olympics. After years of public pressure and petitioning, the International Olympic Committee restored his medals and honors in 1982, but not his records.

His greatest accomplishments are usually honored through awards, trophies, and media celebrations. If the IOC fully restored his records he would be recognized as the greatest athlete to compete in the Olympics.

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