BY BOB WHEELER, FLORENCE R ID LON,PHD, AND ROB WHEELER
THE FORGOTTEN HOLLYWOOD LEGACY OF JIM THORPE
of 1938. Cecelia Blanchard (Kickapoo), co- founder with Thorpe of the Indian Center in Los Angeles, was on the line with an urgent request. Could he drive over to the Center immediately and help her save a woman and her two children who were huddled on the doorstep and appeared to be near death? They looked to be starving, and their clothing con- sisted of a couple of torn flour sacks. Thorpe got dressed,
J jumped into his mata E
black 1931 Model A Ford and drove the 11 miles from his home on 3904 104th Inglewood to the Center on 7th
Street. Upon
his arrival outside of the brown clapboard, converted house, in a scene reminiscent of his athletic days, the now 50-year-old Thorpe sprinted up the 100 steps to the open front door and knelt down to reassure the woman, “Don’t worry. We will get you some food and medicine right away.” He handed Blanchard some money to cover the expense, and the two of them carried the little family down to his car for the drive to the hospital.
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 33 Street in
im Thorpe, the legendary Olym- pic champion and all-around professional athlete, was awak- ened from a deep sleep by a ringing phone at two o’clock one morning during the summer
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