This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
This newspaper page contains 18 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Boston Post
Location
Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
Date
Jan 28, 1913
Page
10
James Thorpe the Indian Olympic champion admitted the charge of professionalism and formally retired from amateur athletics in a letter to the Amateur Athletic Union registration committee.
Thorpe confessed to playing professional baseball three years ago while a Carlisle Indian School student. He says he did not intend to earn money but loved the game. The AAU faces transferring Thorpe’s prizes to second-place finishers as officials review his professional status. The Olympic and all around championships remain noted for Thorpe’s extraordinary feats.
Thorpe plans to join the Pittsburg professional baseball ranks next season after stating money did not attract him. An informed source says he signed to play with Pittsburg after the Olympic games, which would not affect his amateur status.
Three trophies were awarded by European royals for athletic events. Thorpe won two. a bronze of King Gustav of Sweden for the Pentathlon and a statue of an old Viking boat from the Emperor of Russia. They must be returned and will be shipped to the Swedish Olympic committee promptly.
James Thorpe, the Carlisle Indian School star, confessed to playing professional baseball before competing in Stockholm. The case draws scrutiny on amateur rules, with the Amateur Athletic Union condemning concealment while noting Thorpe’s wide influence and the need to restore titles and records.
After the Swedish Olympics, King Gustave called Thorpe to the palace and hailed him as the greatest athlete in the world. Thorpe initially declined but met the monarch amid insistence from American committee members. On returning home, President Taft sent a congratulatory letter for his Olympic victories.
Thorpe's admission reshuffles Olympic scoring, returning his two trophies and altering standings. Sweden moves to second as Thorpe is excluded, with Swedish decathletes finishing 2nd 3rd and 4th behind an Indian athlete. Sweden gains five points to reach 32, Finland holds 29, and the United States remains first but drops to 76 points from 85.
In Stockholm Thorpe won the running broad jump and the 200 metres and 1500 metres events in the pentathlon and placed third in the javelin. In the decathlon he achieved a score of 8412.955, ahead of Sweden’s Wieslander who posted 7724.495, his closest rival.
The article notes the athlete is noted in lacrosse and baseball, with major league teams courting his services. Pittsburg and Washington reportedly pursued him last year, but he declined to sign, stating a wish to stay an amateur.
James Thorpe writes that he ran for fun not money and refused thousands in offers after last summer’s victories. He asks the Amateur Athletic Union and the public to judge him leniently, expressing regret that his actions were revealed.
A superintendent notes that new evidence affects Thorpe's amateur status at Stockholm and could invalidate results. He requests the governing body's decision on the disposition of the trophies, calling the matter unpleasant and upsetting the institution.
Thorpe asserts other men played on the same team as amateurs in their towns. The public believes efforts should identify these players and penalize them as they did to the celebrated athlete.
In a January 26 1913 letter James E. Sullivan secretary of the Amateur Athletic Union reports to a department of the interior official that Thorpe a Sac and Fox Indian student acknowledged playing with a Southern professional baseball team before the Olympic games last July The Carlisle school authorities investigated and found the claim true while superintendent and Glenn Warner athletic director were informed and unsettled by the disclosure.
Carlisle Penn Jan 27 James Thorpe refused to discuss his admission of professionalism and retirement as an amateur athlete. He said he might have something to say tomorrow and that he must have time to consider his future plans.
Captain Heinie Wagner of the world champions signed a 1918 contract in the private office of President James R. McAleer. Wagner, in good health, said he will report to Hot Springs to lead the early squad if Manager Stahl cannot depart Chicago. The Red Sox expect a top season.
Arthur Robinson of Westboro is hailed as America’s best schoolboy sprinter from 5 yards to a quarter mile, possibly breaking 9 3/5 seconds for 100 yards and aiming for 21 1/5 seconds for the furlong this spring. He ran a 50 1/5 for the first quarter in a Penn relay, despite being crippled, and is backed by Mike Murphy and Jimmy Curran as a future Olympic hopeful with Mercersburg Academy.
Not a single race did Robinson lose for Mercersburg last season. He won every 10, every furlong and every quarter he started. He never ran any century dash slower than 10 seconds, with his slowest fur long at 22 15 seconds and a quarter in 50 seconds. At the Middle States championships at Franklin Field last spring seven timers recorded him at 9 4 to 9 5 seconds for 100 yards, yet he was never in full race condition due to a tendon injury that struck early and recurred multiple times during the season.
The Boston Athletic Association hockey team meets St Jacques Hockey Club of Montreal at the Boston Arena tomorrow night. St Jacques sits second in Montreal city league and appears strong with top players and notable teamwork.
We want people to find what they are looking for at NewspaperArchive. We are confident that we have the newspapers that will increase the value of your family history or other historical research. With our 7-day free trial, you can view the documents you find for free.
People find the most success using advanced search. Try plugging in keywords, names, dates, and locations, and get matched with results from the entire collection of newspapers at NewspaperArchive!
You can also successfully find newspapers by these browse options. Explore our archives on your own!
Browse by location and discover newspapers from all across the world.
Browse by date and find publications for a specific day or era.
Browse old newspaper publications to find specific newspapers.