Jim Thorpe - All-American Page #3

- Why, no, not at all.

Miss Miller,

there's something I'd like to tell you.

Yes?

I think I'm in love with you.

You're what?

I think I'm in love with you.

I can't be sure because

I've never been in love before, but...

Well, I thought you ought to know.

In our opening games that year,

we got past Lafayette,

Bucknell and Dickinson.

But Jim was still warming the bench

and he didn't like it.

And then we ran up against Harvard.

We used a checkerboard field at that time

because a forward pass

could only be thrown

directly over the line of scrimmage.

The scoring was a little different, too.

A touchdown counted five points

and a field goal, four points.

The emphasis was on the word "foot".

Water boy.

What a job for a man of talent.

Quit complaining.

You've seen more action than I have.

46, 27, 98, 32, 46.

It was late in the game.

Carlisle was trailing.

The boys were plenty used up.

Big Wolfe.

Thorpe.

- Yes, sir?

- Four points will tie up this game.

You've been practicing field goals

for months.

- Think you can kick one?

- Yes, sir, I think so.

Get in there.

And don't carry the ball, just kick!

Make it good, Jim. Make it good!

- Thorpe for Big Bear.

- Big Bear, out.

- Pop sent me in to try a drop-kick.

- What?

Time out!

- You think you can do it, Bright Path?

- Just give me that ball.

All right. Let's go!

46, 93, 98, 42.

That was a big help!

Let me take the ball again.

I'll get it off this time.

48, 26, 32, 97, 41.

Attaboy, Jim. Attaboy!

Once he made the varsity,

Carlisle began to roll.

America suddenly took notice

of a bunch of young Indians

led by a twisting, hard-running,

flash of fire named Thorpe.

He didn't stop at track and football.

Anything Jim tried,

he quickly mastered with ease,

and won his letter in baseball, too.

After the last baseball game of the season,

we were heading back to Carlisle

for the start of summer vacation.

- Time to turn in, Jim.

- In a little while, Pop.

What's on your mind?

- Oh, just thinking.

- About next season?

No.

- I was thinking about me, Pop.

- What about you?

Do you remember you once told me that,

that sooner or later I'd find out

what I wanted most in life?

What I wanted to do.

- Yes, I remember very well.

- Well, I think I know what that is.

There's one thing that really gets to me.

That's sports.

Do you think a man can make

a future out of that?

- I did.

- Yes, I know.

I've been watching you

working with the fellows,

helping them, teaching them.

That's what I wanna be, Pop, a coach.

Is that a crazy idea?

Certainly not, Jim,

if that's the way you feel.

But why do you have to

make such a big decision so soon?

I was planning on getting married.

Married? When?

Well, I don't rightly know.

I haven't even asked her yet.

- Asked who?

- Margaret Miller. You've met her.

Well, don't you think

it might be a good idea

to let the young lady in

on all these big plans

you're making for the two of you?

- I'm not a coach, yet, Pop.

- No, but I am.

So get some sleep.

John Little Boy. Gillie Wannapu.

Paul Hightower.

Dave Daniel Cheston.

Louis Tewanima.

Jim Thorpe.

I guess I won't be seeing you again till fall.

No, I guess not.

Jim, you shouldn't. It's your football.

You won it. It's important to you.

That's why I want you to have it.

Where are you going to be this summer?

On a farm.

The placement office arranged it.

I love you, Margaret. I know that now.

We're right for each other.

We're the same heritage. The same blood.

- Does that mean so much to you?

- Yes. It makes it right.

Any other way, we'd be strangers.

- Happy vacation! Happy vacation!

- Happy vacation! Happy vacation!

- Happy vacation, everybody!

- Happy vacation!

Say, you Indian boys is kind of pokey,

ain't you?

Didn't turn out much work yesterday.

Looks like today's gonna be just the same.

That ain't giving me an honest day's work.

Can't make hay this way, no sir.

Hey, Ed.

Say, you Indian boys is kind of pokey,

ain't you?

Didn't turn out much work yesterday.

Looks like today's gonna be just the same,

and that ain't giving me

an honest day's work.

- Jim, this here is Mr. Howard.

- Hello, Jim.

Heard you were down in these parts.

We got a little ball club

over the Rocky Mount.

Need a third baseman.

Pay you the same as you're getting here.

- Baseball?

- Unless you'd rather pitch hay.

Mr. Howard,

you got yourself a third baseman.

Walk up to the house with me

while I get my things.

Good-bye, girls. See you tomorrow, 8:00.

Were you looking for someone, Jim?

Yes, Miss Benton.

I was looking for Miss Miller.

Well, Margaret isn't here any longer.

- Not in this class?

- She's no longer at school.

- Not at the school?

- I thought you knew.

- Well, knew what?

- I'm sorry, Jim.

It's all been sort of a mix-up.

You see, Margaret's not an Indian.

- Not an Indian?

- No, Jim.

There must be some mistake,

Miss Benton. I don't understand.

The nearest school to Margaret's home

in Oklahoma was an Indian school.

Her sister taught there.

Margaret attended this school

for several years

and when some of her friends

and classmates

applied for admission to Carlisle,

she did, too.

Our rules are very strict

on matters of this sort,

but because of the unusual circumstances,

we made a special exception in her case.

I thought she was very happy here.

At least she seemed so.

But just before this semester started

I received a letter from her

saying that she wasn't returning to school.

Did she leave anything for me? A note?

No, Jim, I'm afraid not.

Thank you, Miss Benton.

Jim changed a little after that.

It was almost as though he were venting

his emotions on the gridiron

on anyone who stood in his path.

Spearheaded by Thorpe,

the Carlisle Indians

began to make football history!

The little school in the Cumberland Valley

toppled giant after giant

in a career that reached epic proportions.

In his zeal to carve a name for himself

that would bring a coaching job,

Jim Thorpe performed feats

that are today legendary.

There was the time against Army.

- You were offside, offside!

- What do you mean?

Offside.

Jim 's run was nullified

for an offside penalty.

Two kick-off returns.

A hundred and eighty yards

for the same touchdown!

Well, we've done it again.

Headlines all over the country.

New York, Chicago, Kansas City, Atlanta.

The Carlisle Indians run by Ed Guyac.

Boy, what a team!

- How's the trick knee, Little Boy?

- What? Oh, knee work fine, Ed.

- Doctor say I can play on Saturday.

- Good.

As manager of this year's football team,

I want every varsity player

in perfect condition.

Lights out at 10:00,

good grades in all subjects, no fatty foods.

Hey, what are you scratching away at?

- Writing letter.

- Letter? Who's it to?

Girl. Love letter.

Well, Little Boy!

You've been holding out on us.

- When did this happen?

- Summer vacation.

I go back home and meet girl I know

when I was little. She grow up.

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