Posted on 07/26/2010 8:32:59 AM PDT by Tribune7
Sunday's New York Times' sports section carried a large story on the continuing saga of Jack Thorpe's attempts to bring the bones of his father back to his home state of Oklahoma from his grave in Jim Thorpe, Pa.
The Pennsylvania sports legend was buried in 1953 in the small borough that is the Carbon County seat after his wife, Patricia, who was Thorpe's third wife and Jack's stepmother, became angered at Oklahoma's refusal to erect a monument to her husband. The Pennsylvania boroughs of Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk were merging and offered to not just do so but to rename the new municipality in his honor if she would let him be buried there.
Thorpe never set foot in the place. His road to fame started 100 miles southwest at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School which he led to a national collegiate football championship in 1912.
Jack, 73, is now suing in federal court demanding the bones be returned in compliance with Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990. One has to admit that it is a bit of a stretch to use a law aimed at preventing the desecration of Indian grave sites to move Thorpe's bones considering Thorpe was a life-long Catholic, a quarter Irish and a quarter French, and had never been buried anywhere else. Federal judges, however, have certainly been known to be whimsical in their interpretation of law especially in the pursuit of political correctness and praise from the wine and cheese set.
(Excerpt) Read more at BillLawrenceOnline.Com ...
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Why change it? Did Truth or Consequences, NM change their name just because the game show got canceled?
Just as long as it isn’t Ryan Leaf, PA or Jamarcus Russell, PA.
How about John Murtha, PA?
I don’t know, but if O.J. wins the bid then I’m moving out of Pennsylvania A.S.A.P.
My sister lived in Jim Thorpe, formerly Mauch Chunk, many moons ago. I remember being there right after the movie The Molly Maguires was filmed. The main streets were still covered in dirt from the filming. Sean Connery was the protagonist in the movie (good movie btw).
I thought Jim Thorpe was from Yale, Oklahoma?
There is a plaque in downtown Yale claiming this hero of the town.
That would certainly make it a popular destination for all patriotic Americans, all of whom would make sure to drink at least a case of beer before visiting his grave.
Jim Thorpe was the greatest natural athlete of all times.
Scottish Law, PA.
Wathahuck, PA.
He was born on the Sac and Fox Indian Reservation, in Prague, Oklahoma. He was also part Potawatomi Indian....I am related to him somehow or another. Too hard to trace..but that’s what I’ve been told.
That’s what I thought.
I live in Carbon County and not really sure how I feel about it. I’m not sure the lawsuit will go but I think the town should be compensated if the remains are removed.
The son was quoted as saying that he had “no problem” with the town keeping the name Jim Thorpe if he is sucessful. For some reason, I don’t think the town will factor his comments if any name change were to occure, I for one call it Mauch Chunk from tme to time and there are still businesses and other things (roads and so forth) that have the old name.
Would you go for Lou Barletta, Pa?
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NAGPRA topic, so this actually fits GGG -- and it fits GGG better than NAGPRA fits this nutty shit. Thanks Tribune7.Jim Thorpe's [son] Jack, 73, is now suing in federal court demanding the bones be returned in compliance with Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990... Thorpe was a life-long Catholic, a quarter Irish and a quarter French, and had never been buried anywhere else. Federal judges, however, have certainly been known to be whimsical in their interpretation of law especially in the pursuit of political correctness and praise from the wine and cheese set.Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. |
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It’s been Jim Thrope for longer than I’ve been alive but I still think of it as Mauch Chunk, probably due to the Molly Maguire legends
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