For nearly 80 years, historians believed Jim Thorpe played only football and baseball professionally. Then in 2005, a ticket fell out of an old book, revealing an entirely unknown basketball career.
The Discovery
2005: A Ticket Changes History
- Ticket found in 1920s book at estate sale
- Read: "Jim Thorpe and His World-Famous Indians"
- Location: LaRue, Ohio
- Date: March 12, 1927
"Saturday Evening - 8:00 PM - LaRue Town Hall"
This single ticket launched a two-year research project that uncovered over 70 games across multiple states, revealing that Jim Thorpe was the only athlete to play professionally in four major American sports.
Jim Thorpe's World-Famous Indians (1926-1928)
The team was a barnstorming basketball squad that combined athletic competition with entertainment, predating the Harlem Globetrotters by a year.
Team Characteristics:
- All-Native American roster
- Played local teams across the Midwest
- Combined sport with cultural entertainment
- Traveled by customized bus
- Played in town halls, armories, and gymnasiums
Team Roster Characters
Player-coach at age 39
Center
Forward
Guard
Guard
Forward
Players came from multiple tribes including Sac and Fox, Cherokee, Sioux, and others. The colorful names were partly authentic, partly marketing to meet audience expectations.
Performance Record
Team Statistics
- Record: Won approximately 75% of games
- Typical Scores: 40-35 (pre-shot clock era)
- Thorpe's Playing Time: Usually one quarter due to age
- Thorpe's Performance: Still team's leading scorer in many games
- Special Skills: Known for behind-back passes and trick shots
The Entertainment Aspect
Balancing Sport and Spectacle
The team navigated complex cultural expectations:
- Pre-game "war dances" (audience expected)
- Halftime tomahawk demonstrations
- Players wore "Indian" costumes for entrances
- Switched to regular uniforms for games
- Complex navigation of stereotypes for income
This wasn't simple exploitation—it was economic survival. The team provided income for Native American athletes during the Depression while subtly challenging stereotypes through athletic excellence.
Historical Significance
Why This Discovery Matters
- First Discovery: Predated Harlem Globetrotters by a year
- Unique Achievement: Thorpe only athlete to play professionally in 4 major sports
- Athletic Longevity: Revealed even at 40, Thorpe dominated
- Economic Creativity: Shows how Native Americans navigated discrimination
- Cultural Impact: First known all-Native barnstorming team
Why Hidden So Long
Several factors explain why this career remained unknown for 80 years:
- Small town newspapers only coverage
- No major media followed barnstorming
- Native American sports considered novelty, not news
- Records scattered across rural libraries
- Thorpe never mentioned in interviews
- Basketball considered minor sport in 1920s
Thorpe at 40: Still Dominating
What makes this discovery remarkable is Thorpe's age. At 39-40 years old, when most athletes have long retired, Thorpe was:
- Leading a professional basketball team
- Still the best player despite limited minutes
- Teaching younger players his techniques
- Performing trick shots that amazed crowds
- Maintaining the athletic excellence of his youth
"Even at 40, Jim could do things with a basketball that seemed impossible. He'd make behind-the-back passes before anyone knew what they were."
- Local newspaper account, 1927
The Complete Athlete
This discovery confirmed Jim Thorpe as the only person to play professionally in:
- Football: 1907-1928 (NFL founding president)
- Baseball: 1913-1922 (MLB with Giants, Reds, Braves)
- Basketball: 1926-1928 (Barnstorming team owner/player)
- Track & Field: 1912 Olympics (Two gold medals)
No other athlete has matched this versatility at the professional level.
Legacy of the Discovery
The 2005 discovery of Thorpe's basketball career:
- Rewrote sports history books
- Added another dimension to his athletic legacy
- Showed his entrepreneurial spirit
- Revealed how he supported other Native athletes
- Demonstrated his influence beyond individual achievement
Jim Thorpe's hidden basketball career wasn't just about adding another sport to his resume. It showed that even in his 40s, facing discrimination and poverty, he found ways to compete, excel, and create opportunities for other Native American athletes. The discovery of "Jim Thorpe's World-Famous Indians" added the final chapter to the story of the world's greatest athlete—one that had been hiding in plain sight for nearly a century.