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Great stuff! Love that type 1 photo of Thorpe throwing the discus. I've been looking for a copy of that photo for a long time. Also love that autographed RPPC of Thorpe in his track uniform. That's really special.
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Here's an article written by Thorpe (unlikely) from October 1912 edition of The American Boy magazine. It's a neat large format publication. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b06e7f9430.jpg
Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk |
Finished this Sport Kings this morning. Cut common football cards.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4874/...70e9f38f_z.jpg |
Wow. That art is awesome. Love this one.
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A little old and a little new again.
National Police Gazette November 2, 1912: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c06d6e4305.jpg Various newspaper clippings, postcards, and Dubble Bubble Strip: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6a5d1bfdc5.jpg Various 1912 Olympics souvenirs/badges: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...3d27b69344.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...aa0c8c9c8c.jpg Giant Postcard and Memorial Dedication Program: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0009c45b8a.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...cac28b5849.jpg Reprint team photo and Nicaragua Picture: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...3e14a6436e.jpg U.S. Olympic Bank Note Engraving/Thorpe Memorial PC/Coin Cards: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...97329e8956.jpg Era Postcards of places in Oklahoma where Thorpe frequented as a young person and Haskell, KS where he attended in 1898. Born in 1887 according to his baptismal certificate yet he claims he was born in 1888. He was born in Bellemont , Oklahoma. Generally, Prague is considered his home town but he also referenced Shawnee, Oklahoma as his home town. These postcards show what the places looked like while he was frequenting those towns: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6267dbca73.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...5023032697.jpg Belgium Sportsalbum...shows results of the 1912 Olympics: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ab38f5898e.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...74039895b8.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...28099db102.jpg Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
Other Native American Olympians
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I commented in the postcard thread that I have a few photos of Native American Olympians in my archives. There was a reply that someone would like to see some of them. I thought this may be the appropriate place to show them. I have the 1912 Olympics postcard of Thorpe, but it was already posted so no reason for me to post mine. I picked it up in Sweden from someone who had multiples of almost every card in the set. I have also seen the complete set of cards in a display at the Gothenburg Sports Museum which has one of the largest collections of 1912 Olympics memorabilia. The collection was amassed by 1952 and 1956 Olympian Lars Hindmar. I met him at the World Olympic Collector's Fair in Gothenburg where he was still purchasing items at 94 years of age. As I collect Olympic photographs and autographs I generally pass on other items unless they are part of a lot that has photos or the price is ridiculously low and I can make a few dollars to purchase more for my archives. I have a large number of photos of Pre-WWI Olympians and many more of Pre-WWII Olympians. If I have one and someone would like to see a scan let me know. Anyway here are some interesting ones:
Amasoli Patasoni - A Zuni from New Mexico. He went to Haskell Institute in Kansas. Competed in the 10,000m and Cross Country Race at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp. Very little is known about him, not even his date of death. Two photos from 1920 and one from 1922 Frank Mount Pleasant - Member of the Tuscarora Nation in New York. He attended The Carlisle School and Dickinson College. He competed in the long jump and triple jump at the 1908 Olympics. He coached football at the Indiana Normal School, now Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1911-1913. Photo shows him competing in the long jump at the 1908 Olympic Trials. Wilson 'Buster' Charles - Member of the Oneida Tribe. He attended Haskell Institute where he played on the football and basketball teams. He competed in the decathlon at the 1932 Olympics. Photo shows him competing in the Olympics. Clarence 'Taffy' Abel - Member of the Soo Nation. He won a silver medal in ice hockey at the 1924 Olympics. He is also the only Native American to carry the United States flag at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics. He would join the NHL and become the first American Olympian to win the Stanley Cup when he did it with the New York Rangers in 1928. Photo shows him in 1924 with the Olympic team manager. Lewis Tewanima - A member of the Hopi Nation. He attended The Carlisle School and was a classmate of Jim Thorpe. He competed in the 1908 and 1912 Olympics. He won a silver medal in the 10,000m in Stockholm. The first photo shows him with a group of U.S. athletes on their way to Stockholm in 1912. He can be seen in the back row. Sitting in the front row with a stuffed bear in one hand and a cigarette in the other is Howard Drew. One of the great early Black runners. He would twice set a world record in the 100 yard dash. The person sitting two away from his right appears to be Andrew Sockalexis, though I cannot confirm as I do not own a photo of him. The second photo shows him leading in the final of the 10,000 meter race. Lastly a Culver Archive reprint of Thorpe from the Olympic Meet in New York, June 12, 1912 at Highland Park. |
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Great thread! I have three things to add:
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Runred41 - The item from Nicaragua is called a souvenir sheet to stamp collectors. The reprint photo you have with Thorpe just above the souvenir sheet was taken June 12, 1912 at the Olympic tune up meet at Highland Park in New York City.. This was a Bain News Service photo. I have the right and left continuations of this photo. There are four members of the New York Athletic Club to the left of Thorpe. The two in the middle are brothers Ben Adams and Platt Adams. They both won medals in Stockholm. Other athletes in this photo are Hal Heiland, Xavier Athletic Club, on the far right, George Horine, Olympic Club, next to him, Tell Berna, Cornell, second from the left and Walter McClure, Multnomah Athletic Club, third from the left.
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Here are some more track photos. The semi-nude photos are right after the Olympics. Sports scientists which was in its infancy took body measurements of Thorpe for reference due to his dominating performance in the Olympics. I did get permission from Leon to post them.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ccc99372f2.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...8e1dd293a1.jpg Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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Thanks for the info! I always wondered about the photo with the track athletes..a type 1 came up for sale 8-12 years ago but just didn’t have the funds. I was selling my major Thorpe items at the time and not buying. Maybe one will come along once again! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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Another Native American. Tom Longboat, member of the Onondaga Nation in Canada. Won the 1907 Boston Marathon. He was allowed to compete for Canada at the 1908 Olympics despite very questionable amateur status. He would drop out at 20 miles. The postcard shows the marathoners leaving the grounds of Windsor Castle with Longboat (#72) at the lead on the left. Behind him is Dorando Pietri (#19) who was disqualified for being helped across the finish line at Wembley Stadium. This postcard was mailed from London to A. Roy Welton, the fourth place finisher in the race and the runner at the extreme right in the photo. I acquired Welton's 1908 Olympic scrapbooks which included this postcard, his Olympic competitor's numbers, his 1908 Boston Marathon number and 100 pages of newspaper articles on the Olympics.
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After the Olympics the track team went on a 3 track meet and reception tour before returning to the U.S. One of those meets was on July 23, 1912 at Parc Pommery near Reims, France. Interesting to note is that a rested Jim Thorpe won the 100M Hurdles at the meet defeating Fred Kelly who was the Olympic champ. In a reception given by Coubertin the team and dignitaries were given bronze medallions/plaques to commemorate the event. Following is a postcard of Parc Pommery track meet and a medallion from the reception.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...77f954772e.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...3cbe640b2d.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...302a7f764a.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c9dbdace96.jpg Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
This is a 1912 Olympic Games Report Book Presentation Edition. It is one of 2500 deluxe copies that was bound in leather. These copies were presented to special dignitaries and financiers for the Olympics. This copy is attributed to Herman Gotthardt who was a world renowned art collector of Swedish, Finnish, Danish and Norwegian art who helped finance the Olympics. These presentation editions along with those sold to the general public without the leather covers are some of the very few reports that list James Thorpe as winner of Pentathlon and Decathlon as early January 1913 is when the professional baseball scandal broke which led to his disqualification at the time. Any report after January 1913 didn’t list him as the winner. This one is in fantastic condition.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...8062cc8f61.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...777b09cac7.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2c4138d83d.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...bcc717d658.jpg August 24, 1912 original photos of Thorpe in the New York ticker tape parade held for the victorious Olympic athletes. Thorpe is in lead car with the hat on. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0047c025a8.jpg Various reprints of pre/post Olympic meets: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6d08ea0760.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...18812ed106.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...5eab121b9d.jpg Cards: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...77cf97928c.jpg Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
My collecting focus is to try to recreate through items/memorabilia from events of Jim Thorpe’s life. Although this medal is not attributed to Thorpe himself..the following was a medal given to the victorious athletes from the citizens of NY upon their return from the Olympics. Thorpe would have received one just like it. The medal had a horizontal top bar with a pin in order to attach it to one’s clothing. I’ve been fortunate to pick up 2 of these. I’ve seen a pennant that was sold to commemorate the occasion also..just didn’t win that one. On the front it says...’New York Greetings’. On the back it says..’Presented By The Citizens Of The City Of New York Commemorating The “Home Coming” Of The Victorious American Team From The Olympic Games Stockholm 1912’
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4704d07f42.jpg Cards numbered to 25,50,100: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b39a18cc35.jpg Cards numbered to 99, 10: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...12bb523592.jpg Cards numbered to 5, 25: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...fe0e80b989.jpg Cards numbered to 25(spotlight), 25(Hawaiian), 50, 100, 599: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...5cca371023.jpg Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
After a huge greeting by the citizens of NY, a ticker tape parade and meeting the mayor..the team sat down to Reception and Dinner at the Terrace Garden. Shown here is a program and dinner menu of that occasion. Take note of one of the menu items....’Sorbet—-James Thorpe ‘!
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...89bec9fa08.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...efa5604df8.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...cafec19d06.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...94ae781193.jpg Original drawing by Pat Crowe that he made one of his cards from: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6cf195c7e5.jpg Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
Next up is an original Postcard of Thorpe posing at the Hensel studio in Carlisle, PA.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...49e38a85d3.jpg Remake of postcards of the homecoming at Carlisle. Pierson K Miller was a councilman in Carlisle, PA who made these reprints happen. Anybody know anything else about them? https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7be08da6b1.jpg Cards numbered 2000, 100, 50: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2816158fd9.jpg Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
Jim Thorpe and Olympic Gam,es 1912 in STockholm, Sweden.
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I am a keen collector of 1912 Olympic memorablia icluding Jim Thorpe. I have a very nice book printed in 1912, in fact an extra copy if someone would be interested. I also have a booklet with Jim Thorpe.
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Hopefully ok to bump this thread once --- I sent two of the three items I posted in post 87 in 2019 to the current REA, along with another RPPC of Fred Broker.
https://bid.robertedwardauctions.com...?itemid=177691 https://bid.robertedwardauctions.com...?itemid=177685 https://bid.robertedwardauctions.com...?itemid=177686 |
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Just received a signed copy of ‘Fabulous Redmen’ by John Steckbeck which I purchased off Amazon without a picture. Was pleasantly surprised to see someone else scribbled their name too.
Mark |
Very nice, Mark! Congrats.
jeff |
Gotta wonder how that came about. Not exactly two guys you associate with one another.
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Maybe a picture of the book cover will help….
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I’ve seen this 1956 Lejano Oeste #158 (passing) sticker/whatever in PSA slabs but had never seen this #157 (rushing) sticker anywhere, didn’t know it existed until I saw this album.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...bc29803358.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...c53fc47ff5.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...600dd7c6f1.jpg |
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Neat postcard Leon. Thanks for sharing!
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Jim Thorpe's roommate aboard the Finlandia en route to the 1912 Olympics was John Oliver Johnstone, at the time the youngest athlete to participate in the Olympics (20 years old). I recently met with Johnstone's granddaughter, who said as the youngest of the group, he was the one who had to bunk with Thorpe. He was harassed by others on the ship for this, but developed what became a life long friendship with Thorpe and was an adamant supporter of reinstating his medals. I was told the bib in the image below was the one Johnstone wore for the Olympic high jump where he placed sixth. Comparing it to photos of bibs from the Olympics, however, I am doubtful this hand drawn number is the real deal. The program for the tryouts at Harvard runred41 posted above lists his number as 91, so it couldn't be the one worn for the trials either. Does anyone here think it's possible this could have been worn at the Olympics, or is it just family lore? I imagine if there is a program the bib numbers may be listed, and perhaps get me closer to a conclusion.
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Does anybody know runred41 in this thread? Looks like he hasn't been on since last year. He's got some great stuff I'd like to talk to him about.
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I know runred41! Feel free to send me a message if you'd like.
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To correct the historical record as reported in my post above for those who are interested:
John Johnstone was not Jim Thorpe's cabin mate for the entire trip, if he was for any portion of it. Abel Kiviat, generally documented as being Thorpe's roommate, in a 1984 interview with the NY Times described Thorpe being assigned to a different stateroom after arriving. See the link here: https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/13/s...ne-regret.html The important line being, "Thorpe was assigned to Kiviat's stateroom for two nights until: "Let's say he got very happy, and they moved him down the hall, away from young guys like us."" Also, the contemporary claim that Johnstone was the youngest to compete in the Olympics to 1912 is again disproven by Abel Kiviat. Johnstone was born in January 1892 and Kiviat in June. |
Here's a card I've posted before but I was able to add an exciting piece a couple of years ago. What I believe is a Type 1 Brown Brothers photo that was used when creating the card. The card is from the Capital Candy & Cracker issue out of Sacramento, CA and based on the 1912 Olympics. To date, this is the only copy known to exist to the best of my knowledge. The set is very rare with an incomplete checklist and last time I did any research only 10-12 subjects have been check listed.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/201243...es-R70h3jKjRz/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/201243...es-R70h3jKjRz/ |
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https://luckeycards.com/hunc1913oaks.jpg |
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Hello all — wanted to post this for the Thorpe collectors out there. I picked this two-sided signed photo up. I’m having a custom card made from the signature on the back and am having the front made into a cut — both going to PSA upon return.
I know this one doesn’t match most of Jim’s exemplars. I had a local Thorpe collector say it was good (noting the "Good" was a specific match), was hoping to hear back from another on this thread. Please let me know what you think -- thank you! |
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This from a 1952 cut on PSA’s site convinced my amateur eye it looked good — seems he rarely added this:
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I've been putting in some work to build up my Thorpe collection. Found some great deals over the past month!
I currently have the custom card and the cut signature in the post above at PSA for authentication. |
Nice! Been working on my thorpe collection as well
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw...-gm?authuser=0 https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw...-gm?authuser=0 jeff |
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It's the lineup of the 1916 Canton Bulldogs showing their name, position, and former college affiliation. It is a premium that was published by a newspaper in 1916, honoring the pro champs.
The other Thorpe item is just a photograph from his 1922 season when he played baseball in Portland. jeff |
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Got a great deal on these as a single lot on eBay.
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Jim Thorpe PSA/DNA certified cut signature now available in the B/S/T: https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=364715
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Cut sig is SOLD.
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That sold fast!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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This 1931 W-UNC went past where I wanted to spend for that condition -- will be interesting to see where it ends up: https://sports.ha.com/itm/non-sport-...kedLots-101116
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Difficult to believe
A 1955 Topps All-American #37 Jim Thorpe has showed up on the PSA POP report in GEM MINT 10. WTF. How and where did this card come from? Who owns it? Who subbed it? Who graded it? Does anybody know if Reza is still at PSA? Any information whatsoever would be helpful, especially on who to contact at PSA to find out the provenance of this incredible 1 of 1 GEM MINT 10 (after 70 years it appears? and after 35 years of PSA it appears?) This is a top 250 Sportscard of All Time with a PSA 9 going for over $63,000 before this 10 appeared. What is a 10 worth? OMG
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When I see prices for that card and the '33 Sport Kings, I can't believe the great deals still out there on Jim's U.S. rookie — the 1913 Fatima NY Nationals.
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A PSA 4 Olympics postcard should be on ebay next week. |
I wanted to post this before now, but have not had the chance. Thorpe was the subject of Final Jeopardy on November 24, 2025. The Final Jeopardy did seem exceedingly easy, but one of the three contestants erroneously guessed Hakeem Olajuwon.
"He wasn't yet a U.S. citizen when he was named an All American & won two gold medals for the country." https://thejeopardyfan.com/2025/11/f...1-24-2025.html |
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His 1912 postcards seem so undervalued, especially when compared to the value of the Sport Kings card from 20 years later. |
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I hadn't checked the 1933 Sports Kings Thorpe prices in awhile.
Goodness, they've certainly run up quite a bit in the past couple of years. |
I know people don’t like team cards, and Thorpe isn’t associated with baseball, but with 3 HOFers and the U.S. rookie issue of perhaps the greatest all-around athlete in the history of the planet, I’d take the ‘13 Fatima all day over the tribute cards that came 20 and 42 years later. If there’s a more undervalued card than that, I don’t know what it is. And yeah, with less than 50 graded copies, the 1912 PC is still a good deal despite big gains in recent years.
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"Back in the '80s, I tried like heck to find Ryan in this card. The registration is awful on even the nicest examples. I found two different photos from this 1966 shoot at Shea. Number matching and rookie image comparisons prooved fruitless. Although Ryan's stats are on the back, sadly, he's just not on this card or any of the team pics from that time. Incidentally, Seaver is absent as well." The Fatimas are BIG, beautiful cards and Jim has a nice front row, end spot. The glossy finish didn't hold up too well over the past century-plus, but it was a noble effort. |
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Here's the Olympics PC. To be sold in favor of the SK, just like it a lot more.
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Are you going eBay auction or BIN? GLWS! |
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There are also some postcards that show Thorpe batting and walking in a parade during the MLB New York Giants tour across the US, which are really cool as well. Also a mid 1910s image of Thorpe in Action while playing pro football for Pine Village. I missed on this postcard once and have never seen it again :-( jeff |
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For anyone who is interested in the T200 Fatima NY Nationals, there's a nice one in the current Hunt's auction: https://huntauctions.com/phone/image...230&lot_num=60
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