James Francis Thorpe (Jim)

Another little book under the Christmas tree, Jim Thorpe-Indian, by Van Riper, Jr 1956 after seeing the movie which stared Burt Lancaster.  When folk ask if we are kin, a smile is always kindled.  All Lancasters are related, some more distant than others. Born 1888, died 1953. Most people know that Jim won the decathlon and pentathlon in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden, but what a lot of people do not know is that he was voted the first president of the American Professional Football Association. This was the forerunner of today's National Football League and that he was named to both the college and professional football halls of fame. The semi-pro baseball team which Jim Thorpe occasionally played for was made up of several other Sac and Fox Indians.

Most folk also know that Jim was stripped of his Olympic medals and the Olympic Committee was forced to legitimize this racially motivated precedent by concocting a Byzantine rule system that denied U. S. athletes support while foreign governments were free to support their athletes.  The medals eventually were returned when it was realized that baseball was not an Olympic sport.

On a lighter note and from an inscription in our "little book" the following. "There is mention of the game between Carlisle and West Point where Ike (future president) was told to "stop that Indian!"...and was promptly run over."

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 Lessons Learned and Applied From Jim Thorpe

• We honestly had rather try, then fail, than not to try at all.

• Distance running became a passion, though never excelling, always a picture of a childhood hero running along side me and smiling. Now we fast walk and Jim Thorpe is still with us.

• Even a "little school" like Carlisle can and will produce greatness, all because of those who teach and truly care.

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Our Western Life Founders and Members

Within the pages of Western Life Org are living hero's and heroine's who have been apart of our life for the past few years.  They have given help, guidance, understanding and words of encouragement to try and write poetry, live life each and every day to its fullest and most of all friendship and memories which shall not tarnish nor dim with time.

Remembering the Farm Community of Heartland too!

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Copyright: 1986-2010