My name is James Francis Thorpe. I also had an original Native American. This name that the natives gave me was Wa-tho-huck. Wa- tho-huck means "Bright Path" . My parents were part of the Sac and Fox, and had man ancestors from there. I was born and raised near Prague, Indian Territory. This Indian Territory is now the state of Oklahoma. I went to school at Haskell Institute, in Lawrence, Kansas, and at Carlisle Indian School. …showed first 75 words of 521 total…

…showed last 75 words of 521 total…small parts as an actor in motion pictures. After a short stint as an actor I lectured on Native American culture. During World War II I served as a seaman in the U.S. Merchant Marine. In 1950, nearly 400 American sportswriters and broadcasters selected me, Jim Thorpe. as the greatest all-around athlete and football player of the first half of the 20th century. Later on I was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963.