Jim Thorpe, born May 1887 in Prague, Indian Territory (east of Oklahoma City), has been named the world's greatest athlete. He was a member of the Sac and Fox nations, and became the first Native American to win a gold medal at the Olympics in 1912, for the pentathlon and decathlon. His Olympic medals were lost when it was found he had been playing semi-professional baseball, which violated the amateur rules in place. In 1983, the International Olympic Committee restored his medals, thirty years after his death.
He was a two-time All-American in football. He played six seasons in the Major League Baseball from 1913-1919. He played for the Canton Bulldogs in 1915 and helped them win three professional championships. He played for six teams in the NFL.
From 1920-1921, he was the first president of the American Professional Football Association, which became the NFL in 1922
He passed away in March 1953.
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