Jim Thorpe – The Greatest Athlete You’ve (Almost) Forgotten

Before ESPN lists and sneaker deals, before primetime coverage and endorsement giants—there was Jim Thorpe. A man whose name once echoed from Olympic stadiums to football fields, and yet, somehow, too few Americans today know just how extraordinary he was.

Born in 1887 in Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), Thorpe was a proud member of the Sac and Fox Nation. His Native name, Wa-Tho-Huk, meant “Bright Path,” and from a young age, he was blazing one. He faced hardship early—losing both parents and being sent to boarding school—but what emerged was a once-in-a-century talent. He would go on to master nearly every sport he touched.

At the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, Thorpe won gold in both the decathlon and pentathlon—events that test overall athleticism. When King Gustav V of Sweden called him “the greatest athlete in the world,” Thorpe famously shrugged and said, “Thanks, King.”

But fame didn’t shield him from injustice. Months after his Olympic triumph, Thorpe’s medals were stripped when it was revealed he had briefly played semi-pro baseball—an act that technically violated the strict amateur rules of the time. Unlike white athletes who had done the same and been spared punishment, Thorpe faced the full brunt of the system.

Still, he pressed on. He became a star in professional football and baseball. He was the first president of what would become the NFL. He even acted in Hollywood. His career was filled with grit, humility, and an unwavering love for sport and country.

It would take 70 years for the Olympic Committee to finally return Thorpe’s medals—decades after his death. And yet, the legacy of Jim Thorpe is far more than gold around a neck. It’s the story of a man who refused to be boxed in by prejudice or rules that weren’t applied equally. A man who proved—on the world stage—that excellence transcends barriers.

This Sunday, we remember Jim Thorpe not just as an athlete, but as a towering example of the American spirit: fierce, fair, and unshakably free.