Jim Thorpe was the greatest athlete of all time during 1912. Jim Thorpe had a tough childhood but he turned it around when he got the name “the greatest athlete in the world”. Even though he wasn't treated the same way as everyone else he still showed that he belonged and got through his tough times with the help of sports Thorpes youth wasn't how a kids life should have been. In may 1896 jim's brother died of pneumonia and left Jim heartbroken. At the age of twelve heard that his dad got shot. Jim walked 270 miles to his house. It took him two weeks but when Jim got home his dad had recovered. Sadly his mother died from blood poisoning not long after his father got shot. Jim played four different sports in school. He played track
...orts. He set firsts for some things and re-iterated others. He is still a very large contributing influence in the football world today. He is currently a NFL analyzer. He is very smart and knowledgeable. But he didn't get to where he is now without struggle. Power and fame almost ruined him. Yet he was able to bounce back and use his experience to learn from and shape his future and create a positive outcome. He made it positive not only for himself but for others as well. He set his goals and was determined. One thing
James Cleveland Owens otherwise known as “Jesse” was an Olympic long jumper and sprinter whose speed and inspirational defiance of Hitler shocked the world. The 1936 Olympics were held in Berlin and Adolf Hitler of the Nazi party believed that these Olympic Games would showcase the great skill of the Aryan (Caucasian) race, and the last person he would expect to show him up would be an African-American man (Barnes 1). With sixty-six U.S. Olympic contestants competing in the Games, the American race was really put on the spot in front of Hitler, the most powerful man in the world (Smith 1). Jesse Owens was one of these men, and while being laughed at by Hitler during his one hundred meter sprint against six other Caucasian sprinters, he won by a landslide. With that victory and his other three Olympic gold medals the Owens name was able to be remembered and looked up to for eternity. Jessie Owens is such a great athlete and individual because he defied Adolf Hitler, achieved more than expected of himself, and broke records with ease.
Jim Thorpe was born on May 28, 1887 in a one-room cabin in Oklahoma. Although there is much confusion on Thorpe's date of birth, this is the date according to his estate. The career biography of Jim Thorpe reads like an encyclopedia of sports, encompassing virtually every major athletic event available. In the 1912 Olympic Games at Stockholm, he won both the pentathlon and decathlon events. In the same year, he led his Carlisle Indian School team to the national collegiate championship, scoring 25 touchdowns and 198 points. Following the college football season, Thorpe went on to play 6 years of Major League Baseball. Meanwhile, he managed to lead the Canton Bulldogs football team to unofficial world championships in 1916, 1917, and 1919. When he eventually finished his playing days in 1928 with the Chicago Cardinals, Jim Thorpe had become an athletic attraction that crowds flocked to see. Thorpe died on March 28, 1953. In 1950, the nation's press selected Jim Thorpe as the most outstanding athlete of the first half of the 20th Century and in 2000, he was awarded ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Century. Then came that grand summer of 1912. As a child, Thorpe became his athletic father's protégé, at times running 20 miles home from school. "I never was content," he said, "unless I was trying my skill in some game against my fellow playmates or testing my endurance and wits against some member of the animal kingdom."
On May 22, 1888, Charlotte Thorpe gave birth to Jacobus (Jim) Franciscus Thorpe and his twin brother, Charles, on an Indian reservation near modern-day Prague, Oklahoma. His Native American roots trace back to chief Black Hawk of the Sac and Fox tribe. His Native American name was Wa-tho-huk, which means “Bright Path.” As a child, he experienced many hardships and struggles. Despite those circumstances, he grew up to be the world’s greatest athlete and play six sports and star in the Olympics. Unfortunately, the Olympics didn’t work out the way he planned. Later in life, he battled health, marriage, and child issues. Undeterred by his struggles, the story of Jim Thorpe’s life is a triumphant yet tragic account of a man who overcame the impossible and the impassible to become the greatest athlete in the history of the world.
“We, the Public, Place the Best Athletes on Pedestals” by William Moller and “Cheating and CHEATING” by Joe Posnanski are both articles that mention the use of steroids in the world of sports today. In “We, the Public, Place the Best Athletes on Pedestals” William Moller writes an article on the reasons why professional athletes take steroids. He starts off with a “personal story” to help support the reason as to why athletes take steroids. He started off by telling us when he was in high school he really needed to do well. And always wanted to try and go above and beyond. Because he wanted to do so well in school he made a really big decision and took class 3 drugs so he could stay awake. This is a type of steroid; he thought that taking the drug was a lot better than failing a test. Moller then goes on to saying that the only reason that athletes take steroids is because of
In conclusion, Arthur Ashe successfully accomplished his American Dream, earned admiration from many and was recognized as one of the greatest tennis player in the country. As one of the first African American male tennis player who overcame inequality, he became an inspiration to others and encouraged them to work hard for their dreams. It had been years ever since his death in 1993, yet his legacy still live on.
It has long been debated as to who is the best athlete of all time, yet nobody has ever really had a legitimate answer to the question. There has been so many amazing athletes over the years, from many different sports. It is hard to compare athletes from different sports to each other but, there are definitely a couple that stick out as the best of all time. A few that come to mind are Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, and many more. As for me, there is no doubt in my mind that Bo Jackson is the greatest athlete of all time.
“I’m looking for a ballplayer with guts enough not to fight back,” Rickey replied (“Jackie Robinson”).
Bernard Malamud emerged as a crucial and contemporary innovator of sports literature. Sports literature as defined by Kevin Baker’s introduction, are stories “drawing upon the natural drama of any sporting contest, and imparting life lessons freely along the way” (viii). Malamud’s debut novel The Natural, is a grim and “antiheroic tale” of a baseball player Roy Hobbs “whose ambitions and desires are constantly thwarted” (vii). Through his novel The Natural, Malamud emerges as a prestigious figure of sports literature through his combination of mythology and baseball, in order to create memorable works in this literary tradition. Malamud in his novel The Natural “draws heavily upon this genre, then stands it on its head” (viii). Baker draws
Athletic. Marvelous. Competitive. Hard-Working. All of these words can be used to describe this wonderful athlete. Though Babe isn’t the only outstanding woman athlete, she really was the first one to break the stereotype that only men can break records and be in the hall of fame. She paved the way for athletes like Lisa Leslie and Ronda Rousey to work their way to the top. Babe was good at everything she played, but excelled best at basketball, track-and-field and golf.
It is evident that Jesse Owens proved to the world what no one at the time believed could be achieved. At a time when Blacks were not equal, there was no appreciation possible in the eyes of the Americans until the civil rights movement following after the cold war. Jesse Owens dealt with much more than any African American could ever imagine. Regardless of his immense achievements, Owens did not receive recognition for such important winnings until several years after the 1936 Olympics. Despite the hate that Owens received, he was able to surpass such negativity by being involved in other organizations and through this, Owens was victorious not only on the track but also as normal human being.
Imagine being handed all the wrong cards as a child. From the beginning of his life, Jim Thorpe had to learn how to be strong and overcome. Stricken with poverty and living in the heart of Indian territory, he was able to achieve his dreams and then some. These things transferred to his athletics to make his family and the entire Sac and Fox tribes proud. Through hard work, determination, and overcoming many tragedies, Jim Thorpe became the greatest athlete of the 20th century, and his legacy even continues today.
Jackie Robinson was a black man that played a white man only sport. Jackie Robinson’s life was outstanding regardless of the obstacles that were thrown in his way in order for him to make it to the top. Jackie Robinson overcame the pain people put him through with the support of his family, friends, and his God given talent, which was playing baseball. Jackie Robinson overcame the negativity of white people during the Civil Rights Movement. For this reason, Jackie Robinson never gave up on his dream and proved people wrong. Jackie Robinson became a vocal champion for the African-American athletes around the world (“Robinson, Jackie - Black History”).
Athletes waiver an uncanny amount of courage, by pushing their bodies to the test and showcasing themselves and abilities to the judgement of the public. Sports may come natural for many people, but having utmost character and bravery does not come easy to anyone. Undoubtedly, having both is a rare occasion. Being a prime example, Jackie Robinson used his natural born gifts of a strong character and personality, along with an unprecedented athletic ability. He fought for equality by dignity and hard work. Respectfully, he was one of the best in Major League baseball for his time, and sparked a Civil RIghts Movement while doing it.
Jesse Owens was the best track athlete at the 1936 Olympics due to his four gold medals in the 400 meter relay , the 100 meter dash , the 200 meter dash and the running board jump or the long jump. Now not only did he run but he showed that he was also versitlie and could jump. He also won a gold by the help of three others to win the 400 meter relays. Now a short summary of his life will be discussed. One of the greatest track-and-field athletes of all time. He was born James Cleveland Owens in Danville, Alabama, and educated at Ohio State University. However he competed in interscholastic track meets while attending high school, excelling in the running broad jump, the 100-yd dash, and the 220-yd dash. As a member of the Ohio State University track squad in 1935, he established a world record of 26 ft 83 in. For the running broad jump; the next year he set a new world record of 10.2 sec for the 100-m dash. A member of the U. S. track team in the 1936 Olympic Games , in Berlin , Owens won four gold medals. He won the 100-m dash in 10.3 sec , equaling the Olympic record; set a new Olympic and world record of 20.7 sec in the 200-m dash ; and won the running broad jump with a leap of 26 ft 5I in. , setting a new Olympic record. He was also a member of the U.S. 400-m relay team that year , which set a new Olympic and world record of 39.8 sec. Despite Owens's outstanding athletic performance , German leader Adolf Hitler refused to acknowledge his Olympic victories because Owens 2 was black. Owens went on to play an active role in youth athletic programs and later established his own public relations firm. Jesse proved you could make it if you only put forth some effort. Jesse became a lifetime role model just from one summer olympic games. Owens just demonstrated what every young black kid in America wanted to become when the arose to his type of greatness. Jesses' to becoming the best at this olympic games was a pretty tough road. He was pushed back because of the color of his skin , now there was no way in hell the he used this as any type of an excuse when he didn't come in first.