• 7/8/2004
  • Glasgow, Scotland
  • Doug Gillion
  • The Herald

One of the darkest stories in Olympic history was the vilification of the American Indian, Bright Path, otherwise known as Jim Thorpe.

The 1912 pentathlon and decathlon winner was congratulated by the King of Sweden as “the most wonderful athlete in the world”. Thorpe allegedly replied: “Thanks, King.” His twin had died aged eight, and both parents by the time he was 15. Thorpe was educated in an Indian school before winning college colours in 11 different sports.

He discovered his athletic talent when walking past a track where the high jumpers were failing to clear 5ft 9in. He cleared it in his working clothes. Five years later he was in the Olympics. Between the pentathlon and decathlon he placed fourth in the high jump and seventh in the long jump. His decathlon total would still have won silver medal in 1948. Within months, however, it transpired that Thorpe had been paid $25 a week for playing baseball. His medals were all forfeit.

Avery Brundage, who had finished sixth in the pentathlon (and was president of the International Olympic Committee for 20 years) did nothing to help Thorpe’s fight for reinstatement. MGM paid just $1500 for the film rights to Thorpe’s life, and when he needed treatment for oral cancer he was a charity patient. He died in 1953. Only in 1982, after Brundage had gone, did the IOC restore his records and give the medals to his family.