Sporting Witness

In 1912, the Native American athlete, Jim Thorpe, stunned the world by winning both the decathlon and pentathlon at the Stockholm Olympics.Less than a year later, Thorpe was stripped of the medals in controversial circumstances. After struggling to make a living as a Hollywood extra, he ended up dying in poverty in a trailer park.Richard Fleming tells Jim Thorpe's incredible story, with contributions from his biographer, Kate Buford.PHOTO: Jim Thorpe, the track athelete. Courtesy of Cumberland County Historical Society.