Remembering 1912 Olympian as a hero

This being an Olympic year, I have seen no mention, as yet, of the 100th anniversary of one of the greatest Olympic events in its history — Jim Thorpe’s victories in the 1912 Decathlon and Pentathlon events in the Stockholm games. Most of us old-timers know the story of how Thorpe was stripped of his awards after it was discovered that he had played minor league baseball during the summer preceding the games, for room and board and a small amount of money. Many years late, after his death, Thorpe’s name was restored in the Olympic record books and his awards given back to his family.

In this 1912 era there was a very strict code of amateurism which was evidently followed to the letter. Today the code is not in force as professional players in basketball and many other sports are allowed to participate. Jim Thorpe was my boyhood hero and his tragic story will always live on in my memory.

Bob Vormittag

Des Plaines