And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
[NOTE: the original message contained coding for links the list software does not
reproduce]
From: "Dr. Ben Irvin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
INDIAN EDUCATION FORUM
August 5, 1999/ORP/Pablo, Montana
Jim Thorpe was recently designated the "Athlete of the Century" by both houses of
Congress (May, 1999). These resolutions and the information should be shared with
students. It would be appropriate to do a ceremony honoring this during American
Indian Day in September.
Deawga'wik, Ben
1. Resolution submitted to Senate 2. Senate Resolution 91
3. Bill Introduced To Name Jim Thorpe Athlete of the Century
4. House Resolution 198
Separate Printable Versions: 1 2 3 4.
from Congressional Record - Senate S4607
Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I rise today to submit a resolution recognizing Jim
Thorpe as the Athlete of the Century.
Born to an impoverished family on Sac-and-Fox Indian land, Jim Thorpe overcame adverse
circumstances to excel as an amateur and as a professional in three sports; track and
field, football and baseball. Thorpe, who was voted `Athlete of the First Half of the
Century' by the Associated Press almost fifty years ago, is the only American athlete
ever to excel at this level in three major sports.
As a student at Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania, Thorpe proved his athletic
ability early on. One anecdote recalls how the 5-foot-9 1/2 inch, 144-pound Thorpe
almost single-handedly overcame the entire Lafayette track team at a meeting in
Easton, Pennsylvania, winning six events. Also while attending the Carlisle Indian
School, Jim Thorpe established his amateur football record playing halfback, defender,
punter, and place-kicker. In 1911, he was named an All American.
In 1912, he represented the United States and the Sac-and-Fox Nation in the Olympic
Games in Stockholm, Sweden. To this day, Thorpe is the only athlete to win gold medals
in the pentathlon and decathlon. After his Olympic feats in Sweden, Thorpe retured to
Carlisle's football team and was named an All-American again.
In 1913, Thorpe left amateur athletics and signed a $5,000 contract to play baseball
with the New York Giants. As an outfielder with the Giants, and later with the
Cincinnati Reds and Boston Braves, his best season was his last one, when he batted
.327 in 60 games for Boston.
In 1915, Thorpe agreed to play professional football for the Canton Bulldogs. Thorpe
went on to become a key part of this team as it was recognized as the `world champion'
in 1916, 1917, and 1919. Thorpe's professional football career later included stints
with Cleveland, Rock Island, the New York Giants, and the Chicago Cardinals. In 1920,
Thorpe became the first president of the American Football Association, which was
later to become the National Football League. Today, he is recognized as a founding
father of professional football.
Recently, I had the privilege of attending a luncheon honoring Jim Thorpe's daughter,
Grace, at the Jim Thorpe Memorial Hall in the Carbon County, Pennsylvania, a town
named for the great athlete. Grace Thorpe has traveled around the country asking
people to sign petitions declaring her father athlete of the century. She plans to
send the petition to cable sports networks and national sportswriters. As Jim Thorpe
Area Sports Hall of Fame president, Jack Kmetz has noted, Thorpe unfortunately missed
out on the modern-day media blitz that surrounds popular athletes today. Nonetheless,
I promised Ms. Thorpe and the people of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania that I would
introduce this resolution which I hope will raise awareness of this true legend's
achievements and give him the recongnition he deserves.
106th Congress -1st Session
SENATE RESOLUTION 91
EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT JIM THORPE SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED AS THE
`ATHLETE OF THE CENTURY'
(Senate - May 03, 1999)
Mr. SANTORUM submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation:
S. Res. 91
SECTION 1. SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT JIM THORPE SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED AS THE `ATHLETE OF
THE CENTURY'.
) Findings: The Senate finds the following:
) Jim Thorpe is the only athlete ever to excel as an amateur and a professional in 3
major sports--track and field, football, and baseball.
) Prior to the 1912 Olympic Games, Jim Thorpe won the pentathlon and the decathlon at
the Amateur Athletic Union National Championship Trials in Boston, Massachusetts.
) Jim Thorpe represented the United States and the Sac and Fox Nation in the 1912
Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden, where he won a gold medal in the pentathlon,
became the first American athlete to win a gold medal in the decathlon, in which he
set a world record, and became the only athlete in Olympic history to win both the
pentathlon and the decathlon during the same year.
) The athletic feats of Jim Thorpe resulted in worldwide publicity that helped to
ensure the viability of the Olympic Games.
) During his major league baseball career, Jim Thorpe played with the New York Giants,
the Cincinnati Reds, and the Boston Braves, and ended the 1919 baseball season with a
.327 batting average.
) Jim Thorpe established his amateur football record playing halfback, defender,
punter, and place-kicker while he was a student at the Carlisle Indian School in
Pennsylvania, and was chosen as Walter Camp's First Team All-American Half-Back in
1911 and 1912.
) Jim Thorpe was a founding father of professional football, playing with the Canton
Bulldogs, which was the team recognized as world champion in 1916, 1917, and 1919, the
Cleveland Indians, the Oorang Indians, the Rock Island Independent, the New York
Giants, and the Chicago Cardinals.
) In 1920, Jim Thorpe was named the first president of the American Professional
Football Association, now known as the National Football League.
(9) Jim Thorpe was voted America's Greatest All-Around Male Athlete and chosen as the
greatest football player of the half-century in 1950 by an Associated Press poll of
sportswriters.
) Jim Thorpe was named the Greatest American Football Player in History in a 1977
national poll conducted by Sport Magazine.
) Because of his outstanding achievements, Jim Thorpe was inducted into the National
Track and Field Hall of Fame, the Professional Football Hall of Fame, the Helms
Professional Football Hall of Fame, the National Indian Hall of Fame, the Pennsylvania
Hall of Fame, and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.
) The immeasurable sports achievements of Jim Thorpe have long been an inspiration to
the youth in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States.
) Sense of the Senate: It is the sense of the Senate that Jim Thorpe should be
recognized as the `Athlete of the Century'.
News From:
Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski
11th District/Pennsylvania
June 1, 1999
Contract: J.J. Balaban
(202) 225-6511
Kanjorski Introduces Bipartisan Bill To Name Jim Thorpe
Athlete of the Century
Washington, DC - Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski (PA-11) introduced a bipartisan
resolution in the United State House of Representatives last week to name Jim Thorpe
"America's Athlete of the Century".
Congressman Kanjorski said, "Over the past one hundred years, America has been
fortunate enough to be the home of many talented athletes who have distinguished
themselves in their sport, but none deserves the label of "The Greatest" more than Jim
Thorpe. His achievements were on a scale almost unimaginable today. His most famous
achievement is winning both the decathalon and the pentathalon during one Olympic
year, a feet that has not been matched in the ensuing 87 years. After that triumph, he
excelled at both professional football and baseball, participating in both sports
concurrently for seven years."
Congressman Kanjorski continued, "It is unsurprising that an Associated Press poll in
1950 named him to be the America's Greatest Al-Around Male Athlete and that a 1977
national poll found him to be the Greatest American Football Player in History. It
Would be a great error to overlook Jim Thorpe as America's Greatest All-Around Male
Athlete and America's Greatest Football Player of the 20th Century simply because his
career occurred in the first half of our century, before the age of television.
Congress would be wise to name him America's Greatest Athlete of the Century.
Congressman Kanjorski introduced the legislation with Congressman Wes Watkins of
Oklahoma, a senior Republican who represents Thorpe's birthplace. Congressman
Kanjorski said that he thought having both a senior Republican and a senior Democrat
backing the bill increased the likelihood that the resolution would be approved by the
House of Representatives.
106th CONGRESS - 1st Session H. RES. 198
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that James Francis Thorpe should
be designated `America's Athlete of the Century'. (Introduced in the House)
HRES 198 IH
May 27, 1999
Mr. KANJORSKI (for himself and Mr. WATKINS) submitted the following resolution; which
was referred to the Committee on Government Reform
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that James Francis Thorpe should
be designated `America's Athlete of the Century'.
Whereas James Francis Thorpe, known as `Jim Thorpe' Wathahuck-Brightpath, of the
Thunder Clan of the Sac and Fox Tribe, was born May 22, 1887, on the Sac and Fox
Indian Reservation, Prague, Oklahoma, and died March 28, 1953, in Lomita, California;
Whereas Jim Thorpe began his amateur football career as a student at the Carlisle
Indian School in Pennsylvania, where he was named All American Half-Back in 1911 and
1912;
Whereas Jim Thorpe represented the United States at the 1912 Olympic Games held in
Stockholm, Sweden, though he did not become a citizen of the United States until 1917;
Whereas King Gustav V of Sweden said, `You, Sir, are the greatest athlete in the
world,' when he awarded 2 gold medals to Jim Thorpe for winning the pentathlon and the
decathlon;
Whereas Jim Thorpe founded professional football, played professional football for,
and later was the first elected president of, the American Football Association (now
the National Football League);
Whereas Jim Thorpe played major league baseball for 20 years with the New York Giants,
the Cincinnati Reds, and the Boston Braves;
Whereas Jim Thorpe is the only American athlete to excel at the amateur level and at
the professional level in 3 major sports--track and field, football, and baseball;
Whereas Jim Thorpe was named America's Greatest All-Around Athlete in 1950 by the
Associated Press and in 1977 by Sport Magazine; and
Whereas Jim Thorpe has been enshrined in the Helms Professional Football Hall of Fame
and the Professional Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives designates James Francis
Thorpe `America's Athlete of the Century'.
Reprinted under the Fair Use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html doctrine
of international copyright law.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
UPDATES: CAMP JUSTICE
http://shell.webbernet.net/~ishgooda/oglala/
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
