I just saw a movie on TCM about the life of Jim Thorpe. His birth name was Jacobus Franciscus; but always called "Jim." His Indian name was Wa-Tho-Huk, meaning Bright Path. He was born in Indian Territory, Prague Oklahoma--there is no birth certificate, but estimated date of birth is May 1888.
Hiram Thorpe, his father was mixed Irish and Sac and Fox Indian. His mother Charlotte was mixed French and Potawatomie Indian. Jim had a twin brother Charlie who died of pneumonia at 9 y/o.

Jim's father sent him to an indian school--he ran away after arguments with his father. In 1904 Hiram sent him to Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania where he was coached by legendary "Pop" Warner. It became clear early on that Jim Thorpe excelled at any and every sport. He was a Native American athlete of unparalled excellence--good at pole vaulting, track and field, long jumps, high jumps, hurdles, javelin throwing, football, baseball, lacrosse, even ballroom dancing--his versatility and expertise was astonishing.

He gained nationwide attention in 1911 as a running back, defensive back, placekicker, and punter--Thorpe scored all of his team's points. In that game future President Dwight Eisenhower injured his knee while trying to tackle Thorpe. Thorpe went on to the Olympics in 1912--pentathlon, decathlon etc. and won gold medals. King Gustav of Sweden said "You, sir, are the greatest athlete in the world." To which Thorpe replied "Thanks, King."
Months later his medals were taken away after it was revealed he played semi-pro baseball for 2 seasons prior to the Olympics.

As his life progressed, he played baseball, football and basketball sporadically. He married three times--his first wife divorced him on grounds of desertion. At the end of his athletic career it was hard to make a living. He became a chronic alcoholic. By the 50's, hospitalized for lip cancer, he was admitted as a charity case.
The end: In 1953, he had a third heart attack at his trailer home in Loma Linda California and died at age 64.

The movie, starring Burt Lancaster as Thorpe was disappointing--Lancaster with a thick thatch of hair and blue eyes and didn't look like the strongly Indian featured Jim Thorpe (in fact, Lancaster looked exactly like he did in "Elmer Gantry.") Little of Thorpe's convoluted tumultous path was documented, and the end had a "happy face" ending common to movies. He was one of the greatest athletes who ever lived--it is a downer to know how it all turned out.

Thanks to Wikipedia and TCM for info.
susil