OK

[DoubleRBar]

Happy birthday today (Friday) to an Olympic champion who competed in only one Olympic Games, but did win two Olympic gold medals in track & field.

About 60 years after our birthday athlete won those two gold medals, another athlete sharing the same initials as our birthday person, won one Olympic gold medal in the same event in which our birthday competed.

Our birthday individual died at the age of 65 about 68 years ago.

You know that this person also competed in other sports, but do you know the name of this birthday champion?

Give it a try and name our birthday athlete on this final Friday of May.

[mcgato]

Jim Thorpe got two golds and competed in many other sports. Not sure who the other one with the same initials would be though.

[KDFINE]

Too easy, specially by adding OK(lahoma).

[DoubleRBar]

Jim Thorpe was born 134 years ago today in what is now called Oklahoma. Very good mcgato. I realize some say Thorpe was actually born on May 24, but I like to go with the 28th because he died on the 28th in March of 1953. Thorpe was fourth place in the high jump at the 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games. He was seventh place in the long jump and he won the Olympic gold medal in the Pentathlon and another gold medal in the Decathlon (with a world record of 8,412.955 points).

Much has been written about Jim Thorpe and there is no doubt he was a great and a natural athlete. I still like to wonder what he could do in today's track & field with today's training, health, and knowledge of the human body.

Thank you, mcgato and KDFINE.

[noone]

I am guessing DoubleRBar was thinking of Juri (sp?) Tarmak, who won gold 60 years after Thorpe, in one of the events of the decathlon.

[Olli]

Jüri, to be very precise.

[DoubleRBar]

Very good, noone. Juri Tarmak won the 1972 Munich Olympic high jump on the second Sunday of September. Tarmak (a left leg lead straddle jumper) was the only jumper to clear 2.23 (7' 3 3/4") at the 1972 Munich Games.

Thank you, noone and Olli.

[noone]

Is it true that when the Swedish king congratulated Thorpe and said “you are the greatest athlete in the world”, Thorpe replied “Thank you, king!”?

[DoubleRBar]

I wasn't there, but that's the story I have heard. Thorpe, a man of few words.

[dukehjsteve]

Is it true that when the Swedish king congratulated Thorpe and said “you are the greatest athlete in the world”, Thorpe replied “Thank you, king!”?

I heard it was even a bit simpler:

" Thanks, king."

[DoubleRBar]

Let me guess. The next poster will say they heard it was, "Thanks!".

P.S. I think you are correct, dukehjsteve.

[lonewolf]

I heard it was even a bit simpler:

" Thanks, king."

That the way I heard it.

[lonewolf]

Jim Thorpe was born 134 years ago today in what is now called Oklahoma.

To pick a nit, Thorpe was born on the Sac and Fox Reservation in Indian Territory, which is now included within the defined borders of Oklahoma. However, in a murder jurisdiction case before the US Supreme Court last year, the court decided the Muscogee (Creek) reservation was never dissolved. Crimes by Indians, against Indians on Indian lands since 1907 should have been prosecuted by Federal/Indian law rather than the State. The Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, and Seminole tribes quickly claimed certain rights. Smaller tribes are expected to follow suit, although most do not have the resources to run a full-fledged independent tribal reservation/state.
This has created hundreds (thousands?) of disputed cases. No state convictions have been reversed, so far. It also raises questions about taxation, liquor, gambling, etc. Negotiations underway.
Interestingly, the Governor, most of our Senators and Congress, and many State officials are tribal members.

[wamego relays champ]

That the way I heard it.

According to one biographer, "Thanks, King" was a reporter's hyperbole, and he actually said "Thank You."

See the last paragraphs here:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...maze/41860361/

[lonewolf]

Too late to ask him but Thorpe probably did remember his exact response.