Jim Thorpe

Thorpe, Jim (James Francis Thorpe; 1888–1953), U.S. athlete. Known for his all-around athletic ability, he played major league baseball (1913–19), professional football (1915–30), and was the first athlete to win both the decathlon and pentathlon at the Olympic Games (1912). Thorpe was stripped of his gold medals after a controversy arouse involving his amateur status; the International Olympic Committee restored these medals in 1982. Thorpe was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963.