Jim Thorpe

[Arazi4442]

Originally Posted by cmoore330

I’m in Edmond, so not too terribly far away. I’d love to meet up if it ever makes sense. Not too many vintage collectors (or stuff to find) in this part of the world.

Looks like the Okies love us some Jim Thorpe. Another Oklahoma kid checking in from Norman.

Great stuff everyone. Did you see the Olympics postcard on the LOTG auction? Very strong price, I thought. I was hoping to upgrade mine but the bidding got out of my league there at the end.

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by Arazi4442

Looks like the Okies love us some Jim Thorpe. Another Oklahoma kid checking in from Norman.

Great stuff everyone. Did you see the Olympics postcard on the LOTG auction? Very strong price, I thought. I was hoping to upgrade mine but the bidding got out of my league there at the end.

I am have long been a Thorpe fan, since I live about 45 minutes from the town that bears his name. I have a PSA 4 of the Thorpe Olympic postcard. I know the one at LOTG was the highest graded, but $6,000 just seems crazy to me when the 4s and 5s of that postcard go for around $1,000 and a "3" closed on eBay for a little over $600 recently. There have been a bunch of the Thorpe Olympic postcards coming out of the woodwork in recent years. I wish the Olympics Heroes postcard from Carlisle of him putting the shot was more common. I suspect that is climbing out of my price range when it does show up.

[runred41]

Yeah...that recent one went crazy! I finally picked up the Olympic Heroes one of him putting the shot recently...it is indeed a tough one to purchase. Hardly ever see it for sale. I posted the other postcard with Thorpe/Tewanima/Warner so have both now. Makes me think about getting my Thorpe postcard like the one that went 6 grand graded...it’s in pretty good shape..I’d sure take that price if mine was graded an 8(which I’m sure it wouldn’t)

[Jasonxmay]

I’m an Oklahoman as well. The Thorpe signed 33 Goudey Sportkings that I posted in this thread currently resides with me in Ardmore. I also have a signed leather footprint that Thorpe signed and wrote his mailing address on from when he was fitted for some custom moccasins.

Originally Posted by Arazi4442

Looks like the Okies love us some Jim Thorpe. Another Oklahoma kid checking in from Norman.

Great stuff everyone. Did you see the Olympics postcard on the LOTG auction? Very strong price, I thought. I was hoping to upgrade mine but the bidding got out of my league there at the end.

[cmoore330]

Sounds like it’s time for an Oklahoma Thorpe Fans get together!

[Jasonxmay]

I agree. His hometown of Prague is about an hour drive for me. I think that would be an appropriate place to meet up! If anyone else is interested post here and we’ll set it up. I’ll buy dinner for anyone willing to attend.

Jason

Originally Posted by cmoore330

Sounds like it’s time for an Oklahoma Thorpe Fans get together!

[cmoore330]

Originally Posted by Jasonxmay

I agree. His hometown of Prague is about an hour drive for me. I think that would be an appropriate place to meet up! If anyone else is interested post here and we’ll set it up. I’ll buy dinner for anyone willing to attend.

Jason

I’m in!

[runred41]

Would love to see the the leather footprint! I’m game for anything concerning Thorpe!

[Sportsman2000]

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.

[Jobu]

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

[cfhofer]

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

[jefferyepayne]

Very nice, Mark! Congrats.

jeff

[Exhibitman]

Gotta wonder how that came about. Not exactly two guys you associate with one another.

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Gotta wonder how that came about. Not exactly two guys you associate with one another.

Why?

jeff

[Roadrunner]

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.

[Brent G.]

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.

[runred41]

I know runred41! Feel free to send me a message if you'd like.

[Roadrunner]

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.

[runred41]

i put wrong info so deleted post