GOAT Olympics - Jim Thorpe
1936 OLYMPICS
Jim Thorpe 1887 – 1953 (Aged 70)
James Francis Thorpe Wa-Tho-Huk, translated as “Bright Path” (Sac and Fox Nation) Oklahoma.
Considered one of the most versatile athletes of modern sports!
Attended Carlisle Indian Industrial School, Pennsylvania, x2 All-American football under coach Pop Warner (1871–1954). Recorded records in 1907 in track & field, football, baseball, lacrosse, and ballroom dancing, 1912 won the intercollegiate ballroom dancing championship Played collegiate and professional, football, baseball, and basketball. Thorpe scored 4 field goals in an 18–15 1st upset of top ranked Harvard. 11–1 season in 1912 Carlisle won the national collegiate championship.
Attended the 1912 Summer Olympics, Stockholm Sweden. 1st Native American to win 2 GOLD metals for the United States (5 event pentathlon and 10 event decathlon). Won 8 of the 15 events. Someone stole his shoes just before the competition, he ran in a mismatched pair including one from a trash can and won the gold medal.
In 1913 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped his metals for violating amateurism rules, getting paid room and board for a summer playing summer baseball. In 1983, 30 years after his death, the IOC restored his Olympic medals and titles and in 2022, relisted as the sole champion in both events.
In 1913-19, Thorpe signed with the New York Giants, played 6 seasons. 1915, Thorpe joined the American football team Canton Bulldogs, helping them win 3 professional championships as a running back, defensive back, placekicker and punter. Full records are not available it is reported scoring 27 touchdowns and 224 points during the season, rushing 191 times for 1,869 yards.
1st President of the American Professional Football Association, (NFL 1922).
(AP) Associated Press ranked him as the “greatest athlete” from the first 50 years of the 20th century,
Pro Football Hall of Fame inaugural class in 1963,
Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania named in his honor.
Appeared in several films, portrayed by Burt Lancaster 1951 Jim Thorpe – All-American. In the 1912 Olympics Thorpe also received two challenge prizes, donated by King Gustav V of Sweden for the decathlon and Czar Nicholas II of Russia for the pentathlon. Receiving his prize, King Gustav said, “You, sir, are the greatest athlete in the world”, to which Thorpe replied, “Thanks, King”.
Looking Up to Bright Path… w2
Copyright: Willis Whiteside 2023 All Rights Reserved.
REFERENCES: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Thorpe
Artistic Perspective
The Greatest of All Time art is a passion of bringing historical sports or public figures to full color. The art starts with research into the personality and reviewing available images or photographs to reference. The research includes the historical location and fan fills bleacher seats for those who witness the moments. The 18” x 24 inch canvas is laid out with the contrasting color pencil of the primary figures or elements outlines. These lines become boundaries of colors, with distinguishing edges or sfumato blended or smoky edges or color – light shading or blending. The foreground is usually in focus with the subject figure in dynamic action. Careful attention is given to these autonomist positions as sometimes these are the most recognized images or captured photo moments of the subject. Crossing the finish line or hurling a fastball, the intent is the subject is flowing with eye movement so you don’t want to stop looking in on the details.
Applying color
Applying the mixed acrylic squeezed out of a tube with a 10- 20 minute dry time. Applying or blending the colors is a matter of color and water saturation. Appling the base colors from dark to light is usually the process. The base color layers then absorb the new wet layer to blend the 2-3 color mixtures to achieve the desired color or blends. The multi layers affect of adding more color achieves more intense color saturation or white or pure color to dark blending. The blank canvas to final brush stoke is normally 2-3 weeks. Working in 2-4 hours sessions usually in the early mornings. We hope you enjoy the art as intended to bring back the best of the sport! If you have a suggestion for a new GOAT please contact us.