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[[newspaper clipping]]

To Seek Return Of Medals:

Carlisle Jaycees Plan "Jim Thorpe Day"

The Carlisle Jaycees have initiated a project aimed at securing two of Jim Thorpe's trophies which the famed Carlisle Indian School athlete won during the 1912 Olympics in Sweden.

Sheaffer Chairman

The Jaycees president, John J. Zampelli, has appointed Michael L. Sheaffer of the Carlisle chapter to serve as chairman of the "Project Jim Thorpe" campaign and to spur interest and eventually direct efforts at bringing the two valuable trophies back to Carlisle.

As a highlight of the project, the Jaycees have designated a "Jim Thorpe Day" in May, when special activities will be held in honor of one of the world's greatest athletes.

Thorpe, the most famous of all the Carlisle Indians and whose prowess on the athletic field appears almost unbounded in the minds of historians, won the two trophies for his performances in the pentathlon and decathlon in 1912 in Stockholm.

These two trophies, which were withdrawn from Thorpe later, are now in Lucerne, Switzerland. It is the aim of the Carlisle Jaycees to secure these trophies and to bring them to Carlisle, "where they rightfully belong."

Thorpe was denied the trophies by the American Amateur Athletic Union, following the Olympics, when the AAAU said that Thorpe was a "professional" and had lost his amateur status.

The Carlisle Indian School favorite played professional baseball for one Summer while at the Indian School here, getting a small weekly fee while touring with a team "to meet expenses." Thorpe said that he enjoyed playing baseball and did not play for the money alone.

He maintained that he was never aware that accepting this money would disqualify him. The next athlete in line at the Olympics refused to accept the awards, because he insisted the awards rightfully belonged to Thorpe.

Sheaffer, who is making plans now to seek eventual return of the two large trophies to the hometown of the Carlisle Indian School, said that is is the hope of the Jaycees to "get the ball

[[image]]
[[caption]] JIM THORPE [[/caption]]

rolling' on a campaign to have Jim Thorpe reinstated as an amateur, therefore making him the rightful owner of the awards.

Serving on the executive committee with Sheaffer will be Fred Cerasaro, secretary; Dr. Leonard Levin, research; John Zampelli, solicitor; Thomas Sabbatino, special arrangements; Ronald Curry, manpower, and Reuben A. Smitley, administrative adviser.

The "Project Jim Thorpe" committee has designed May 10 as a great day to honor Thorpe as the "greatest male athlete." During the observance, numerous activities, which will be announced later, will be planned in the Carlisle community.