Pennsylvania
Related: About this forumJim Thorpe's body must be moved closer to casinos, says ruling
Paul Carpenter's column / The Allentown Morning Call:
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/carpenter/mc-pc-jim-thorpe-body-20130423,0,6112182.column
Snip> "The town of Jim Thorpe, formerly Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk, was the only place willing to honor Thorpe after he died flat broke in California in 1953."
Snip> "After Thorpe's death, the governor of Oklahoma vetoed a legislative measure to honor him and the Sac and Fox did not lift a finger to help. When Oklahoma and the Sac and Fox turned their backs on her, Patricia found help in Pennsylvania, where Thorpe, as a youth, had attended the Carlisle Indian Industrial School and was coached by the legendary Glenn Scobey "Pop" Warner. The people of Mauch Chunk felt it was a disgrace that America was not honoring its greatest athlete and began raising funds, at the rate of one nickel donation at a time, until they had $17,000. That provided a marble (some reports say granite) tomb for Thorpe."
Snip> "Either way, history will record that only one place in America originally had the decency to honor the world's greatest athlete, and it damn sure wasn't Oklahoma or the Sac and Fox Nation. The little Pennsylvania town did so faithfully for decades, until those casinos came along."
The comment at the end of the column provides legal food for thought.
CBGLuthier
(12,723 posts)Keeps going on about Thorpe being half white as if he was ever treated like a white man in his life.
The town seems like a nasty little tourist trap that really has no business being called after "the greatest athlete in the world."
Ednahilda
(195 posts)is someone readers either love or hate. Sometimes his columns are right on the money, other times he seems to be shooting blind.
PADemD
(4,482 posts)I've been to Jim Thorpe. It's a beautiful historical town, not a tourist trap.
http://www.jimthorpe.org/historic.php?PHPSESSID=33bfa6852ed7af00d76c33d1f3ea2004
On May 18 & 19 they will hold their 18th annual celebration of Jim Thorpe's birthday.
http://www.jimthorpe.org/festivals/jtbirthday.htm
As for the writer of the article, I think you need to read Paul Carpenter's bio.
http://bio.tribune.com/PaulCarpenter
JPZenger
(6,819 posts)The author of this piece is a coggitey old fart who should have retired years ago.
In any case, Mauch Chunk no longer needs Jim Thorpe's remains. If his body is moved, the monument and the name of the town would remain. It is a great town with much to see and do.
It comes down to federal law regarding the remains of Native Americans triumphs the contract that the town signed with Jim Thorpe's widow.
mopinko
(69,807 posts)the law was aimed at museums, etc, where indian remains were filling drawers and displays. i cannot even see how it could be applied to this situation.
hope they appeal, just on the grounds of applying laws after actually reading and understanding them.
Historic NY
(37,449 posts)Jim Thorpe didn't mean squat back before these laws...thats how he got to PA. where he went to school. I'd follow the money trail & you can bet there is one.
"If they had wanted to better exploit it pecuniarily, they would have put it in the middle of town, near the famous train station and other tourist traps. They put it on a bucolic hillside and they have meticulously cared for the site ever since.
I'd just as soon avoid further damage to Thorpe's dignity by fighting over his bones with a prolonged court battle.
Either way, history will record that only one place in America originally had the decency to honor the world's greatest athlete, and it damn sure wasn't Oklahoma or the Sac and Fox Nation. The little Pennsylvania town did so faithfully for decades, until those casinos came along."
4Q2u2
(1,406 posts)We were not a very forgiving World or country back then. It looks like "What have you done for me lately" over shadowed his great accomplishments. Being destitute and an alcoholic made him persona non grata to much of the country. While not asking why such a great man would be in that state. I know from first hand experience that the loss of a child like he suffered has structurally altered whom I am. I thought I knew what pain was, I did not until that day. Maybe he just could not handle that pain. Sad to see people fighting over his grave and bones, I hope he found peace.
For another Butterfly effect, not only did he play football against Eisenhower, Eisenhower tore his knee up and never played football again. He knew then that football was not in his future.