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Jim Thorpe Facts & Worksheets

Jim Thorpe is considered one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century. He played professionally in various sports, such as baseball, football, basketball, and track and field.

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Jim Thorpe is considered one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century. He played professionally in various sports, such as baseball, football, basketball, and track and field. He went on to win two gold medals for the United States in the 1912 Olympics but had the awards stripped from him because of violating the contemporary amateurism rules. Thorpe’s medals were restored by the International Olympic Committee 30 years after his death.

See the fact file below for more information on Jim Thorpe, or you can download our 26-page Jim Thorpe worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

  • James Francis Thorpe was reportedly born circa May 28, 1887, near Prague, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), but there is no record of his birth certificate.
  • He was born into a family of Sac and Fox and Potawatomi Indian lineage.
  • His father had Irish roots, while his mother was of Irish descent.
  • His Christian name was Jacobus Franciscus Thorpe after his baptism in the Catholic Church.
  • He was given the native name Wa-Tho-Huk, which means “Bright Path.”
  • Thorpe had a twin brother named Charlie, but the latter died of pneumonia at the age of nine.
  • Young Thorpe also faced the tragic death of his mother, who suffered childbirth complications.
  • Thorpe had five siblings, and they all grew up on a farm in Oklahoma.
  • As a lover of outdoor activities, Thorpe learned how to hunt, set traps for prey, and ride a horse, which developed his endurance.
  • Thorpe was educated at the Haskell Indian School in Lawrence, Kansas.

TRACK STAR

  • In 1904, he went on to attend the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania, where his athletic ability in track and field was recognized.
  • He caught the attention of renowned coach Glenn “Pop” Warner, who invited him to be part of the school’s track team.
  • Thorpe proved his excellence in track and field, as he won track events at major college meets.
  • Thorpe showed his athletic skills in the high jump, sprints, and hurdles. 

FOOTBALL

  • While Thorpe was a track star, he also wanted to play football.
  • However, Coach Pop Warner believed that Thorpe was too small.
  • Still, Coach Pop let him try to play in practice.
  • Sure enough, he showed he could also play football by running right through the defense on his first go.
  • Thorpe joined the football team and became the star.
  • He made incredible plays as the team’s halfback, placekicker, punter, and defender.
  • In November 1911, he led his team to a shocking win over the superior Harvard team, which catapulted him to national recognition.
  • In 1912 Thorpe led the Carlisle football team to win the national collegiate championship.
  • He was named a first-team All-American in 1911 and 1912.

OLYMPIC CAREER

  • Thorpe was introduced to international sports competitions during the summer of 1912, when he represented the United States in the Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden.
  • He was selected to compete in the pentathlon (five track events), the decathlon (ten track events), the long jump, and the high jump.
  • The modern version of the pentathlon in 1912 consisted of the long jump, javelin, discus throw, 200-meter dash, and the 1,500-meter run, according to the official Olympics website.
  • Meanwhile, the decathlon consisted of the 100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400-meter run, discus throw, 110-meter hurdles, pole vault, javelin throw, and the 1,500-meter run.
  • In the pentathlon, Thorpe made an impressive winning streak by winning four of five events, resulting in him claiming the gold medal.
  • He also won a gold medal in the decathlon.
  • Legend has it that King Gustaf V of Sweden called Thorpe “the greatest athlete in the world” during the Olympics.
  • Thorpe’s Olympic glory did not last long, however.
  • In 1913, an investigation by the Amateur Athletic Union showed that Thorpe’s participation in semi-professional baseball in 1909 and 1910 was grounds for disqualification from the Olympics.
  • As a result, his Olympic gold medals were stripped from him.
  • The medals were given back to him in 1983.

PROFESSIONAL SPORTS CAREER

  • Thorpe did not let his Olympic downfall dictate the rest of his career in sports.
  • He went on to join the New York Giants and played professional baseball in 1913.
  • He also joined the big leagues of the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Braves.
  • His career in the major leagues spanned six years, resulting in a .252 batting average with the abovementioned teams.
  • In 1919, his last year in major league baseball, he batted an incredible .327 average, marking his best season.
  • Aside from baseball, Thorpe also played professional football and basketball. 
  • In 1915, he signed to be a pro footballer with the Canton Bulldogs.
  • He played with the Bulldogs in the 1915, 1916, 1917, 1919, and 1920 seasons.
  • His ability to draw huge turnouts and lead the team to three championships justified his enormous payout of $250 per game.
  • In 1920, Thorpe was nominated as the first president of the American Professional Football Association, later renamed the National Football League (NFL).
  • He retained that position for one season.
  • Thorpe spent the 1922 and 1923 seasons playing for the Indians, an all-Native American football team.
  • Before each game and at halftime, the Oorang Indians would dress up and perform “war dances” and other Indian rituals.
  • Thorpe also played for the Cleveland Indians, Rock Island Independents, New York Giants, and Chicago Cardinals.
  • He never played for a championship team in the NFL.
  • In 1928, at 41 years old, Thorpe retired from professional football.
  • By that time, he had played 52 games for six teams.
  • Thorpe’s basketball career is not as documented as his football career, but he barnstormed with an all-Native American team.

POST-ATHLETIC CAREER

  • Thorpe struggled to provide for his family following his retirement from sports.
  • From 1931 to 1950, Thorpe was active in making film appearances.
  • He had been an extra in over 50 movies from 1931 to 1950.
  • He was recognized as the greatest athlete of the first half of the 20th century by the Associated Press in 1950.
  • In 1951, a biographical film about him titled “Jim Thorpe – All-American” starring Burt Lancaster premiered.

PERSONAL LIFE, DEATH, AND LEGACY

  • Thorpe worked odd jobs after his athletic career ended.
  • He worked as a construction worker, a doorman, a security guard, and a ditch digger.
  • He also suffered from chronic alcoholism.
  • In 1913, he married his college sweetheart, Iva Miller, with whom he had four children: one boy and three girls.
  • His first son with Iva Miller, died of polio at age four.
  • After divorcing Iva by the end of his athletic career, he married his second wife, Freed Kirkpatrick, in 1926. They had four sons.
  • After a second divorce in 1941, he married Patricia Gladys Askew in 1945.
  • At age 64, Thorpe died of a heart attack on March 28, 1953.
  • In 1963, Thorpe was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jim Thorpe Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Jim Thorpe across 26 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Jim Thorpe. Jim Thorpe is considered one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century. He played professionally in various sports, such as baseball, football, basketball, and track and field.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Jim Thorpe Facts
  2. About The Iconic Athlete
  3. Sports Vocabulary
  4. Truth About Thorpe
  5. Thorpe’s Teams
  6. Sequencing Life Events
  7. Quotes on Sports
  8. Life off the Field
  9. Athletic Legends
  10. Celebratory News
  11. Thorpe-folio

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Jim Thorpe?

Jim Thorpe was a Native American athlete born on May 28, 1888, in Prague, Oklahoma. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest all-around athletes in history. He excelled in various sports, including football, baseball, and track and field.

What sports did Jim Thorpe excel in?

Jim Thorpe excelled in several sports. He is best known for his achievements in football, where he played as a running back, defensive back, and kicker. He also stood out in track and field, participating in events such as the decathlon and pentathlon, winning gold medals in both events during the 1912 Summer Olympics.

What is Jim Thorpe’s connection to the Olympics?

Jim Thorpe participated in the 1912 Summer Olympics held in Stockholm, Sweden. He won gold medals in both the pentathlon and the decathlon, showcasing his exceptional athleticism and versatility. These victories solidified his status as a sports legend.

Why is Jim Thorpe considered a significant figure in sports history?

Jim Thorpe is considered significant due to his exceptional versatility and achievements in multiple sports. His prowess in both professional football and Olympic track and field events is unparalleled. He broke down racial barriers as a Native American athlete during a time of prejudice and discrimination.

What happened to Jim Thorpe’s Olympic medals?

After his Olympic victories, it was later revealed that Jim Thorpe had briefly played semi-professional baseball prior to competing in the Olympics, which was against the amateurism rules of the time. As a result, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped him of his medals. However, his accomplishments were never forgotten, and in 1983, following a long campaign by supporters, the IOC returned his medals posthumously and recognized his achievements once again.

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