Jim Thorpe, a member of the Sac and Fox Nation from Oklahoma and an Olympic gold medalist, and his shoes at the 1912 Olympics.



This is a story about Jim Thorpe, a member of the Sac and Fox Nation from Oklahoma and an Olympic gold medalist, and his shoes at the 1912 Olympics.

If you look closely at Thorpe's feet in this photo, you will notice that he's wearing different socks and shoes. 
This was not a fashion statement, but rather a desperate attempt to improvise after his shoes were stolen on the morning of his track and field competition at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden.

According to Bob Wheeler, founder of the Jim Thorpe's Foundation and author of the biography, "Jim Thorpe: The World's Greatest Athlete," a teammate reportedly lent him one shoe, and then Thorpe managed to find another in a garbage can.


Since one of the shoes was too big, he had to wear extra socks. He went on to win two gold medals that day.

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