Description
Jim Thorpe was a Native American, and a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, called Wa-Tho-Huk in his native language, meaning “Bright Path” in English. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most versatile athletes of all time. During the 1912 Olympics, he won gold medals in the pentathlon and decathlon. The medals were taken back when it was discovered Jim Thorpe had played semiprofessional baseball two summers before the Olympics, which violated amateurism rules at that time. In 1983 the International Olympic Committee restored his medals. Thorpe went on to play professional baseball, football, and basketball. He was the first president of what would become the NFL. He fell on hard times during the Great Depression and succumbed to alcoholism, unfortunately dying in poor health and poverty.
At the 1912 Summer Olympics, a new multi-event discipline was added, the decathlon. This consisted of the 100-meter run, the long jump, the high jump, the 400-meter run, the discus throw, the 110-meter hurdles, the pole vault, the javelin throw and the 1,500-meter run. This was the first time that the modern pentathlon and the decathlon were held at a Summer Olympics. During the 1912 Olympics, the pentathlon included the long jump, javelin throw, 200-meter dash, discus throw and 1,500-meter run.
This Jim Thorpe Olympian History Mug is part of our Athletes series.
The biographical History Mugs were created to teach and inspire individuals to learn about our diverse and interesting history. The biographies were researched and written by history enthusiast, Robert Compton. He colorized most of the historic photos and images used on the mugs, which were originally black and white or sepia tone. The images and biographies are imprinted on mugs at his studio in rural Vermont.
- Mugs are food and microwave safe.
- To preserve photographic quality we recommend hand washing.
- Mugs are usually shipped within 3-5 days.
