World-Class Athlete Jim Thorpe Was Born May 28, 1888. Thorpe won gold medals in both the decathlon and pentathlon events, but when a reporter revealed his two years of semi-professional baseball, he was stripped of his medals. The story doesn't end there.

In his last college season, Thorpe scored 198 points and was voted first-string, All-American halfback. Once out of school, he signed to play baseball with the National League Champion New York Giants. From 1913 to 1929, he usually switched sports each season from baseball to football, which he played professionally until he was 41 years old.

This information was provided courtesy of America's Story from America's Library, Library of Congress.