Jim Thorpe

My name is James Francis Thorpe. I also had an original Native American. This name that the natives gave me was Wa-tho-huck. Wa- tho-huck means "Bright Path" . My parents were part of the Sac and Fox, and had man ancestors from there. I was born and raised near Prague, Indian Territory. This Indian Territory is now the state of Oklahoma. I went to school at Haskell Institute, in Lawrence, Kansas, and at Carlisle Indian School. …

…small parts as an actor in motion pictures. After a short stint as an actor I lectured on Native American culture. During World War II I served as a seaman in the U.S. Merchant Marine. In 1950, nearly 400 American sportswriters and broadcasters selected me, Jim Thorpe. as the greatest all-around athlete and football player of the first half of the 20th century. Later on I was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963.