The Maverick Guide to Hawaii

A biography of the American Indian known as one of the best all-round athletes in history for his accomplishments as an Olympic medal winner and as an outstanding professional football and baseball player.

---

Jim Thorpe was a Native American who won gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon at the 1912 Olympics in Sweden. When King Gustav of Sweden presented his medals, he proclaimed him "the greatest athlete in the world".But Thorpe had played baseball for money during his summer vacation from school; this technically made him a professional athlete, ineligible for Olympic competition. Although he had not known this, his medals were stripped and his name was stricken from the record books.

Thorpe went on to professional careers in baseball and football and earned a place in the Professional Football Hall of Fame. Later in life, he toured the country, speaking to schools and organizations. He died in 1953.