Sporting Witness - Jim Thorpe: Native American legend
Download Jim Thorpe: Native American legend
In 1912, the Native American athlete, Jim Thorpe, stunned the world by winning both the decathlon and pentathlon at the Stockholm Olympics.
Less than a year later, Thorpe was stripped of the medals in controversial circumstances.
After struggling to make a living as a Hollywood extra, he ended up dying in poverty in a trailer park.
Richard Fleming tells Jim Thorpe's incredible story, with contributions from his biographer, Kate Buford.
PHOTO: Jim Thorpe, the track athelete. Courtesy of Cumberland County Historical Society.
Published on Saturday, 10th September 2011.
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