Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 February 1913 — ATHLETE JIM THORPE NOW PROFESSIONAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ATHLETE JIM THORPE NOW PROFESSIONAL

Jamefc Thorpe, the famous Indian athlete and Olympic champion, admitted that charges of professionalism brought against him were true, and has formally retired from ariiateur athletics. Thorpe’s confession was

contained in a letter to the registration committee of the Amateur Atheltic union, which was investigating his case.

The letter admitted that Thorpe had played baseball for a salary on a pro-

fessional team three years ago, while a student of the Carlisle Indian school, but that on the same team there were several northern college men who were regarded as amateurs, and Thorpe did not realize his participation was wrong. Thorpe added that he did not play for the money he earned, but the love of the national pastime.

Thorpe’s winning of the pentathlon and decathlon events at the Olympic games in Stockholm and later his wonderful performances which won for him the all-around championship of the A. A. U., at New York, last September, had stamped him the most marvelous all-around athlete of modern times. In addition his prowess as a football player had earned for him last season by unanimous choice of leading sporting writers the position of halfback on the annual all-American football team. All the prizes and the honors which Thorpe has gained since 1909 —the. date from which his standing as a' professional begins—must be transferred through the officials of the Amateur Athletic union to the men who finished second to the Indian in every event. This will mean that the trophies ana points won in the pentathlon and decathlon ritust be given, respectively, to F. R. Ble; Norway, and H. Wieslander, Sweden, and that J. J. Donahue, United States, and G. Lomberg, Sweden, will take second place. John Bredemus of Princeton finished second to Thorpe in the American all-around championship, and Bruno Brodd, of the Irish-American Athletic club, third, and, therefore, now must be accorded the honors. In this championship Thorpe made a total score of 7,476 points, and broke the former record of Martin Sheridan by 91 points. The loss of the six points scored by Thorpe in the Olympic games still leaves the United States winner by a wide margin, however, the total standing, United States 79, with Finland in second place, with 29.

Thorpe in Action at Stockholm.

Martin Sheridan.