Greatest American Athlete -- August 2, 2012

This article, from the 29-May-1912 Tacoma Times, looks forward to the Olympic games and predicts that Jim Thorpe will do well.

Indian, "Greatest American Athlete" Will Be Olympic Game Sensation 

Most spectacular of the American series in this year's Olympic games at Stockholm is marvelous Jim Thorpe, the Sac and Fox Indian athlete of the Carlisle school, who won the eastern trials. He has been called "the greatest American athlete."

As Martin Sheridan will confine himself to the discus events, Thorpe is expected to win honors which have been won in the past by our greatest point-winner. Strong rivals to Thorpe are Donahue, the coast marvel, and August Menaul of Chicago university.

Thorpe has shown astonishing form this spring. He is tossing the 16-pound shot well over 43 feet, clearing the bar in the high jump close to 6 feet and doing 22 feet or better in the broad jump.  He can step a hundred yards in 10 1-5 seconds and the 220 hurdles close to standard time, while he is one of the best hammer and discus throwers we have.  Thorpe has shown exceptional skill with the javelin, is at home in the pole-vault and has the hereditary ability of his race as a runner, so will be very much at home in the 1,500 meter run.