Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team

“Sorry, Pop. Nobody’s going to tackle Jim.”

This moment is one of the first times Thorpe speaks in the book. His tone here is consistent with how others describe him throughout the book; confident with a touch of humor. This moment foreshadows Thorpe’s future success and introduces his trait of continual resilience.

“Jim’s first hero was Black Hawk, the famous Sac leader who had led his people in a desperate fight to hold on to their ancestral land in the 1830s.”

Few references to Thorpe’s feelings about his ancestry appear in the book. This moment resonates later in the book, though, when Thorpe shoulders the responsibility of leading his football team in each of their “desperate fights” to win against white football teams.

“Jim grew up hearing stories of Black Hawk, of his legendary feats of running and swimming and wrestling, of his pride and defiance, even in the face of defeat. Jim grew up hearing that his own father, Hiram, resembled Black Hawk not only in looks but in the athletic skill and pure strength.”

These sentences are extremely important to understanding Thorpe’s psyche. Throughout the book, others see him as an anomaly in every way. These sentences help the reader understand that Thorpe saw himself, his strength, his conviction, and his sportsmanlike demeanor as part of his lineage from his father and the legendary Black Hawk.