Jim Thorpe - All-American Page #5

- Well, how you feeling, chief?

- Bed soft, make Little Boy soft.

Soft! How do you like this guy?

If every Indian was as soft as you,

the population of this country

would still be in Rhode Island.

Hello, Jim.

Sit down.

What's all the mystery about?

They're sure taking a lot of time

to make a decision.

They've already made the decision.

Ashenbrunner.

That's too bad.

Margaret'll be disappointed.

Don't let it get you down.

Be lots of other chances.

Well, that's that. Thanks, Pop.

Maybe I shouldn't say this, Pop,

but I outplayed Ashenbrunner.

You did everything a man could do

on a football field.

Then, why?

Evidently they thought Ashenbrunner

was better equipped for the job.

You don't believe that, Pop!

There's a lot more to coaching

than simply being a great player.

In the second half

you knew Little Boy had a bad knee.

You kept it from me and let him play.

- We tied up the game, didn't we?

- That's not the point.

Pop, that job was important to me.

I needed it.

Not that way.

The reason I didn't get it

is because I'm an Indian, isn't it?

I don't know, Jim.

I honestly don't know.

But supposing it was,

that's simply another hurdle

for you to take.

And from what I've seen,

that shouldn't be too difficult.

- Not for you. You'll clear it.

- I'll make sure of that.

- What's on your mind?

- I wanna go over there, to the Olympics.

I want to make a record

they won't be able to ignore.

Good boy. That's the spirit.

Which event

would you like to compete in?

What events are there?

There's the 100 meter, 200 meter,

the hurdles, the pentathlon.

- Pentathlon? That's five events, isn't it?

- That's right.

And this? The decathlon?

That's ten events?

- Yes.

- Enter me into both of them.

- Jim, you're crazy!

- Am I?

That's 15 events.

You'd be competing against

the greatest athletes in the world.

Pop, I've worked hard,

hard to make a name for myself.

If it isn't enough of a name, then I'll

just have to work that much harder

to get the kind of coaching job that I want.

I'm not in this for the glory,

I just want a chance to prove myself.

Will you help me? Will you?

You know I will.

All right, I'll enter your name for

both events with the Olympic Committee.

Thanks, Pop.

Stockholm, Sweden.

Scene of the fifth Olympic Games

of the modern era.

For three solid days, Jim Thorpe gave

an exhibition of physical prowess

such as the world has never seen.

The five events of the grueling pentathlon.

Sprinting.

Jumping.

The javelin.

The discus.

The torturous 1,500 meter run.

And a great victory, which would have

been sufficient glory for any athlete.

But almost without pause,

and without precedent,

Jim tackled the supreme test,

the decathlon.

Ten events covering every form

of track and field competition.

Merely to compete in these events

would have been accomplishment enough,

but Jim achieved victory again.

Another great victory for himself

and for his country.

When it was over, the King of Sweden

asked to meet Jim Thorpe,

to pay personal tribute.

Sir, you are the greatest athlete

in the world.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

As President of the Alumni Council,

I want to welcome Jim back home.

I know that he's been acclaimed

all over the world,

but no one is more proud of him

than we here at Carlisle.

The example that he's set

for this student body,

even those of us who have graduated,

is expressed much better

than I could ever express it,

in this letter

which I am going to read to you.

"You, Mr. Thorpe, have set a high standard

of physical development

"which is only attained

by right living and right thinking.

"And your victories

will serve as an incentive

"to all to improve those qualities

"which characterize the best type

of American citizen.

"It is my earnest wish that the future

will bring you success

"in your chosen field of endeavor.

"With heartiest congratulations,

I am sincerely yours, William Howard Taft,

"President of the United States."

Oh, Jim, darling, I'm so proud of you!

- Hey! Over here!

- Hey! Hey!

Hold still for a picture.

- How'd you like to live in Virginia?

- Virginia?

A school down there

offered me a coaching job.

Oh, Jim!

That's great, that's great! Hold it.

- Did you get it?

- Got it.

Bye!

Bye!

Bye!

Mr. Warner,

this telegram just came for you.

Thanks, White Eagle.

It wasn't a telegram, it was a bombshell.

According to our information, Mr. Thorpe,

you played baseball one summer

with the Rocky Mount team

of the Carolina Eastern League.

Is that correct?

- Yes, sir.

- What name did you play under?

Why, my own name.

What other name would I use?

You certainly are aware, Jim,

that college athletes

sometimes attempt to make money

playing under assumed names.

If I had to do something under any other

name than my own, I wouldn't do it.

- But you admit that you played baseball?

- Yes, of course, I admit it.

This is a very serious charge, Mr. Thorpe.

Do you have any defense to offer?

- No, sir.

- No defense at all?

I don't know what to defend.

I can't see that I've done anything wrong.

- You did accept money?

- Yes, for room, board and expenses only.

I wasn't playing for the money

that was in it.

I like baseball. It seemed like a good way

to keep in training over the summer.

Is there anything further you wish to say?

Only that if I've done anything wrong,

I'm terribly sorry.

- But I didn't know about these rules.

- Jim, ignorance is no excuse.

- I'd like to say something, please.

- Please sit down, Mr. Thorpe.

Mr. Warner.

I just want to say, gentlemen,

that ignorance sometimes is an excuse.

Our boys at Carlisle come to us

from the reservation.

The government pays

their expenses at school,

but that doesn't make them professionals.

In the summer, when the government

stops paying their expenses,

they have to earn their keep somehow.

Yes, Jim played ball one summer

for a small amount of money

to cover his room, board and expenses.

Does that make him a professional?

If we're gonna stick

to the letter of the law, yes.

But in this case, should we?

We all know that at best

there is a fine, vague line,

between amateurism and professionalism.

Jim drove honestly and sincerely

to a great goal.

He worked and fought his heart out

to win those Olympic crowns.

So far as I'm concerned,

he's a simon-pure athlete.

You mustn't take those medals

away from him, gentlemen.

You mustn't!

Thank you very much, Mr. Warner.

Thank you, Mr. Thorpe.

We'll advise you of our decision.

I see. No, I don't agree.

However, if that's your decision,

gentlemen, there's nothing more I can say.

Thank you.

It's no use, Jim.

They wouldn't listen to me.

It's final.

Your records have been stricken

from the book.

They've ordered the return

of all medals and trophies.

And you're barred from

further amateur competition.

It's a rotten deal for you,

but the important thing is

that you did win.

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