Jim Thorpe Medals: Olympics at the Millennium anthology
From the desk of Trace DeMeyer (2000)
Here it is at last – “The Olympics
at the Millennium: Power, Politics and The Games.” My contribution is Chapter 2. The book just hit the store shelves when the 2000
Olympics in Sydney began. I can say with
a sigh of wonder and relief that I am finally a published author - a dream of
mine since childhood. (You may have heard me say I had to get old enough to write,
to know what I cared about, with enough confidence to write it, with enough
experience under my belt.)
Of course, I cannot take the
credit for the idea. Sidonie and Kay
asked me to write the chapter after they found me on the Internet. Since I was covering Jim Thorpe regularly in
the newspaper News From Indian Country,
and had interviewed Thorpe’s sons and daughter Grace, it seemed like a task
perfectly suited to my skills and research.
So a few years ago I agreed
and wrote the first draft, then did a second draft August 1999. After a few more months, they edited it down
for length, and I had a final look after Rutgers Press laid out the pages. Finally - here it is.
Actually, I wrote
more than what made it into the book. There is enough for a chapter or two on
his children’s efforts to gain support for Jim Thorpe’s recognition as the
world’s greatest athlete. Grace did ask
me to go to Switzerland to retrieve the Viking Ship chalice that was a gift
from the Czar of Russia… I would like to since they surely deserve it after all
these years of waiting!
Now
I hope you’ll enjoy reading my contribution as much as I enjoyed writing it!!
5star reviews:
"This thoroughly brilliant anthology is a 'must read' for all interested in sports culture and politics." -- Ed Guerrero, cinema studies, New York University
5star reviews:
"This thoroughly brilliant anthology is a 'must read' for all interested in sports culture and politics." -- Ed Guerrero, cinema studies, New York University
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