Jim Thorpe

Jim Thorpe, born Wa-Tho-Huk ("Bright Path") to Sac and Fox Nation and Potawatomi ancestry, excelled in practically every sport he touched. His Olympic triumphs in 1912, however, were controversially stripped due to his prior semi-professional baseball play, a ruling that took over 70 years to be fully overturned. Talk about an overdue apology.

He truly was a man ahead of his time, not only in his athletic prowess but also in enduring the systemic injustices faced by Indigenous peoples. From the Carlisle Indian Industrial School to the professional sports leagues, Thorpe consistently demonstrated unparalleled skill and resilience.

While his "Jewish identity" and "Jewish origin" scores remain firmly at zero, his "kvell-worthiness" is off the charts. Any culture would be proud to claim such a prodigious talent who consistently defied expectations and, eventually, had his hard-won victories restored. His life story is a masterclass in athletic achievement and enduring perseverance.