1 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:05,800 Speaker 1: You're listening to American Shadows, a production of I Heart 2 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:18,640 Speaker 1: Radio and Grim and Mild from Aaron Bankey. The world 3 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:22,080 Speaker 1: had watched what would become America since the Pilgrims landed 4 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:25,600 Speaker 1: on Plymouth Rock in six twenty. They witnessed the new 5 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: nation fight in multiple wars and survived encounters with plagues 6 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: and other diseases. They looked on as the newcomers took 7 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: land from native peoples and built new cities. They paid 8 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 1: close attention through revolutions external and internal that tore the 9 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 1: new nation apart after the Civil War. The Reconstruction era 10 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: did little to heal the nation as intended with the 11 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:52,880 Speaker 1: Gilded Age, Rapid economic growth brought a flood of immigrants 12 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: looking for a better way of life, causing not only 13 00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: culture clashes, but divisions of classes. The nation was always 14 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: in turmoil, and it suggested that Americans may not have 15 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: been as civilized as the thought. Politicians looking to improve 16 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: America's status followed in England's footsteps and held a world 17 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 1: Exhibition in Philadelphia in eighteen seventy six, but the fair 18 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 1: suffered lackluster attendance and lost money. They didn't give up, though, 19 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: and began to make plans in nineteen hundred for a better, larger, 20 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 1: and more elaborate fair designed to showcase America's inventions and 21 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:37,400 Speaker 1: emerging prominence. So Congress convened to decide on a location. 22 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 1: Four cities placed bids New York, Washington, Chicago, and St. Louis. 23 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,119 Speaker 1: The stakes were high. The winning city would bring in profits, 24 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: raise real estate values, and elevate their standing among American cities. 25 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: JP Morgan, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and William Waldorf Astor collectively pledged 26 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 1: fifteen million dollars to host the fair in New York. 27 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 1: In Chicago, Marshall Field, Philip Armor, Gustavus Swift, and Cyrus 28 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: McCormick also put up a substantial amount, but it wasn't 29 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 1: until Banker lyman Gage came forward with several million dollars 30 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 1: had raised in just twenty four hours. The Chicago took 31 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: the lead. Impressed with the effort, Congress voted to accept 32 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:24,359 Speaker 1: the bid. The World Fare Committee quickly decided on Jackson 33 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: Park for the site and hired premier landscape architects to 34 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: develop the plans. The committee envisioned a stunning seascape attraction 35 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: along Lake Michigan. Plans included a showcase of world class technology, agriculture, 36 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: fine art, entertainment, and cuisine. Wanting only the best, Chicago 37 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: officials hired sculptor Augustus Saint Gaudens as artistic director. Later 38 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: he'd go on to create the Statue of Lincoln for 39 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: the Lincoln Memorial. When the plans were complete, their concept 40 00:02:54,600 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 1: rivaled Central Park. Now Developing six hundred ninety eight ers 41 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: and directing two hundred temporary buildings was no small feat, 42 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:07,240 Speaker 1: but Chicago saw it as an opportunity to show how 43 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 1: well they had rebuilt after the infamous seventy one fire, 44 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: and unlike the exposition in New York, Chicago's event would 45 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 1: prove successful. Over twenty million people visited the fair and 46 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 1: continued to talk about it long after it ended. The 47 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 1: spectacular event became a cultural touchstone. It's even said that 48 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:30,680 Speaker 1: a young Henry Ford found inspiration for his invention the 49 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 1: horseless carriage after seeing an internal combustion engine at that fair. 50 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: Despite a smallpox epidemic and a fire that destroyed part 51 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 1: of the fairgrounds, Chicago had established itself as one of 52 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: the nation's most premier and elite cities. Dismantled exhibits found 53 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: permanent homes and museums across the country. Chicago had set 54 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 1: the standard for all other World fairs. Everyone in America 55 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: and the rest of the world seemed pleased with the 56 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: city progress, everyone except David Francis, the mayor of St. Louis. 57 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 1: Chicago's industrial and economic growth had outpaced St. Louis for years, 58 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: and every time the Windy City's popularity increased, David Francis 59 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 1: seethed a little more so when the International Olympic Committee 60 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 1: decided that Chicago would host the nineteen o four Olympics. St. 61 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,920 Speaker 1: Louis mayor was more than just bitter, with a deep 62 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 1: seated hatred for the city, he became determined to outshine 63 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 1: Chicago at all costs. I'm Lauren Vogelbaum, Welcome to American shadows. 64 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,359 Speaker 1: Though he had no real grounds to complain about the 65 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 1: Olympic Committee's decision, David Francis did have a plan. In 66 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 1: nineteen hundred, he proposed to Congress that St. Louis would 67 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 1: host a World Fair a a centennial celebration of the 68 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: Louisiana purchase, to take place in nineteen o three. Congress agreed, 69 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:10,039 Speaker 1: and while that should have pleased him, he wanted more. 70 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: He still wanted the nineteen o four Olympics. That would 71 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: take some scheming, though the Fair, which he already had 72 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: plans to make bigger and better than Chicago's, was just 73 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: the start. He just needed time. Literally. If he could 74 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: quietly delay the fair by a year, he thought he 75 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 1: could force the Olympics to come to him without tipping 76 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 1: off Chicago until it was too late. B. C. Francis 77 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 1: had friends in influential places, namely thirty one year old 78 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: Count Henri de Penaloza, a French national and prominent businessman 79 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:49,840 Speaker 1: living in St. Louis. The Count's father, Louis Fuss, was 80 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 1: also a businessman, and wouldn't you know it, served on 81 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 1: the board of directors for the fair, which became known 82 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: as Louisiana Purchase Exposition. In April of nineteen o one, 83 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:05,359 Speaker 1: exactly one month before the Olympic Committee met to solidify 84 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: Chicago as the next host, Penaloza happened to be in 85 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:11,600 Speaker 1: France and showed up at the Paris home of the 86 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:15,799 Speaker 1: Baron Kupeton, the president and founder of the Olympic Committee. 87 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 1: After some small talk, Penaloza made a strong pitch for 88 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:23,039 Speaker 1: the Games to be held in St. Louis instead of Chicago. 89 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:27,160 Speaker 1: He explained to the Baron how the Olympics might benefit 90 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 1: from the exposition, and assured him that Saint Louis's mayor 91 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: had expressed genuine interest in hosting the Games. There was 92 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 1: a small catch, however, the delicate political situation of the 93 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:43,839 Speaker 1: Games having already been promised to Chicago. Penaloza promised that 94 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: Mayor Francis would soon send a formal letter to the committee. Kubatan, 95 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: feeling that his fellow countrymen had made a strong argument, 96 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: presented the idea to the rest of the Olympic Committee, 97 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:59,160 Speaker 1: but after no such letter arrived, Penaloza sent the Baron 98 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: a telegram informing him that St. Louis city officials were 99 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 1: requesting to congress a formal delay of the exposition, which 100 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: was a lie. St Louis couldn't keep their shady plan 101 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 1: under wraps for long though. An interview in the Olympics 102 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 1: official publication reported on Penaloza's visit, and as you probably 103 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: would have, newspaper editors, city leaders, and athletes all noticed 104 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: the conflict between the nineteen o three date for the 105 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 1: fair and the nineteen o four Olympics. Officials in Chicago 106 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 1: wrote the committee several letters stating that they had already 107 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 1: been offered the opportunity and had started planning St. Louis. 108 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: They pointed out lacked an official representative and hadn't spoken 109 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: to Congress about delaying the exposition. In the end, the 110 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: Olympic Committee dismissed St. Louis as a viable host. Then, 111 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 1: in the summer of nineteen o one, The New York 112 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: Times reported the Committee's announcement and Chicago and celebrated. Thousands 113 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: of students from the University of Chice Aago campus attended 114 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 1: a bonfire to hear Henry Fuber, tasked with organizing the event, 115 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: give a celebratory speech. While Chicago set to work on plans, 116 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: Mayor Francis finally requested the one year delay for the St. 117 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 1: Louis exposition. The new starting date would be April four, 118 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: just two days before the Olympics. Meanwhile, unaware of Francis's plans, 119 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: Kubatan sent President Roosevelt a letter asking him to accept 120 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: an honorary presidency over the Games. Henry Fuber wasn't immediately 121 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: concerned when he heard that the St. Louis exposition was 122 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: set to open just days before the Olympics, he set 123 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:44,960 Speaker 1: sailed to Europe to garner support from European leaders and 124 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:49,680 Speaker 1: convinced top rated athletes to compete. While Fuber was away, 125 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 1: Francis wasted no time with his next move. He and 126 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: the St. Louis Director of Exhibits decided that the amateur 127 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: sports competition planned for the Fair would fall under the 128 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 1: jurisdiction of the Amateur Athletic Union. With that in place, 129 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 1: he requested the best American track and field champions to 130 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,960 Speaker 1: be part of the Fairs events, effectively removing them from 131 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 1: the Olympics. In August, Fuber learned about Francis's meeting with 132 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: the Amateur Athletic Union. He realized that the mayor was 133 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: attempting unsebtly to steal the Olympics. Finally, worried, Fuber contacted 134 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:30,959 Speaker 1: the game's officials. The Olympic officials tried to work out 135 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: a compromise, but Francis was less than cooperative. He insisted 136 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: that the only resolution would be for Chicago to transfer 137 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 1: the games to the St. Louis Exposition and made his 138 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:45,559 Speaker 1: case to President Roosevelt. He claimed that transferring the games 139 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 1: to St. Louis made better sense financially and prevented a 140 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:55,559 Speaker 1: division in attendance. Naturally, Chicago was furious. Newspapers printed reasons 141 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 1: against having the Olympics in St. Louis, ranging from limited 142 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 1: sports facilities to the climate. Francis was unshaken. He began 143 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 1: a campaign to strong arm officials in New York and 144 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 1: the Olympic Committee, while launching a flurry of press releases 145 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 1: designed to turn public perception in his favor. As part 146 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 1: of his rather divisive marketing campaign, Francis stated that the 147 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: celebration of the Louisiana Purchase was a prominent American event 148 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:25,960 Speaker 1: and that if the Olympics were held in Chicago, the 149 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:29,960 Speaker 1: fair would be overshadowed. And the mayor didn't stop there. 150 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:33,959 Speaker 1: He used one of those anti St. Louis newspaper articles 151 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:38,080 Speaker 1: to his advantage. The article quoted Fuber, and Francis sent 152 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 1: the article to the Olympic Committee along with a note 153 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 1: twisting his words and painting his opponent as weak, casting 154 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: doubt that he could effectively plan the games, and Francis 155 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: contacted the French Commissioner of Commerce, who just happened to 156 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 1: have strong ties to the Louisiana Purchase celebration, to apply 157 00:10:56,160 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 1: political pressure on American and Olympic Committee officials to transfer 158 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: of the games. On February tenth of nineteen o three, 159 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 1: Baron Decoupton believed he had little choice but to transfer 160 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 1: the Olympic Games to St. Louis underhanded. Absolutely, As it 161 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,679 Speaker 1: turned out, Francis's methods could have won a gold medal 162 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 1: of a different sort. Corruption. Newspapers across the country reported 163 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:34,199 Speaker 1: the conflict between St. Louis and Chicago, and it didn't 164 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 1: take much to figure out that Mayor Francis had been 165 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: rather underhanded in obtaining the Games. While other mayors might 166 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 1: have been embarrassed, Francis was delighted. In nineteen o two, 167 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:51,319 Speaker 1: the journalist Lincoln Stephens published an article in McClure's magazine 168 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,560 Speaker 1: telling of deep seated corruption in St. Louis, from the 169 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:58,080 Speaker 1: mayor to the police department. In nineteen o four, just 170 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: before the Olympics, Stephen collected this and other work in 171 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:05,440 Speaker 1: the book The Shame of the Cities, which highlighted corruption 172 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 1: in several American cities. He called out the shameless manner 173 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:12,200 Speaker 1: in which the Olympics had been stolen and dubbed St. 174 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: Louis the worst governed city. In America. He warned that 175 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:20,560 Speaker 1: its political leaders were intent on quote devouring their own city. 176 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 1: None of the cities he wrote about were painted prettily, 177 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:29,720 Speaker 1: but Stephen's description of St. Louis was particularly dismal. Tap 178 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 1: Water contaminated with mud, trash filled streets, badly paved roads, 179 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:38,840 Speaker 1: and fire trap apartments, vote buying, blatant fraud, and misuse 180 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 1: of power. In short, he wrote St. Louis was more 181 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:48,160 Speaker 1: urban decay than world class city. Still, Mayor Francis believed 182 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: his city deserved recognition. Over five hundred and seventy five 183 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:54,960 Speaker 1: thousand people called it home, and it had the largest 184 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 1: train station, brewery, chemical plants, and electric plant. He had 185 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: been planning the X position since nineteen hundred, and it's 186 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:05,440 Speaker 1: settled on land just outside the city proper in Forest Park. 187 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:09,199 Speaker 1: Workers lived on the one thousand, two hundred and seventy 188 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 1: two acre site in tents, earning one to five dollars 189 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 1: a day that's around thirty to forty five dollars in 190 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:21,560 Speaker 1: today's income. As a final insult to Chicago, Francis appropriated 191 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:25,559 Speaker 1: two items used in their World's Fair, a golden telegraph 192 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,840 Speaker 1: key that signaled machine operators to start up equipment and 193 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 1: the famous two hundred and sixty four foot ferris wheel 194 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:36,840 Speaker 1: that had been a pinnacle of the fair. Reconstruction of 195 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 1: the ferris wheel cost nine men their lives. Francis also 196 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 1: managed to get the Liberty Bell on loan. It had 197 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: never left Philadelphia before and has never left since. He 198 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 1: had former President Ulysses S. Grants Country log cabin removed 199 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: from its foundation and brought to the fair grounds. He 200 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 1: also had the rail car that had transported Lincoln's body 201 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 1: brought in. On the morning of April thirtieth, nineteen o four, 202 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,720 Speaker 1: a brilliant blue sky greeted patrons gathering at the fair 203 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 1: entrance for opening day. At nine a m. A band 204 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 1: led a procession from the Hall of Congress to the 205 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:17,680 Speaker 1: fair grounds. Mayor Francis took to the podium. Enter here 206 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: in ye, sons of men, he shouted, learn the lesson 207 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: here taught, and gather from it inspiration for still greater accomplishments. 208 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: From the East Room in the White House, President Roosevelt 209 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:33,480 Speaker 1: made a short speech by telegraph. Once the golden telegraph 210 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 1: key was pressed, the whir of machinery hummed, fountains flowed, 211 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 1: and bands played. The gates swung open, and the fair 212 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: began inside. Patrons delighted at a horse taught to do 213 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:49,800 Speaker 1: tricks in a nearby corral. Ostriches drew onlookers who had 214 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: never seen such a creature further in an expanse of 215 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: food court hosted vendors from all over the country. Mark Twain, 216 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 1: Henry James, and Frank Lloyd Wright, among others, were spotted 217 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 1: at the fair. Future President Woodrow Wilson attended an academic 218 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 1: presentation in the main auditorium. Helen Keller gave her own 219 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 1: lectures for the science minded. X ray machines and a 220 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 1: primitive version of the fax machine were on display to 221 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:19,800 Speaker 1: showcase progress in the medical field. People could visit an 222 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 1: exhibit of infant incubators containing real infants. While a doctor 223 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 1: was on hand, he knew little about premature babies. Instead, 224 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 1: ten nurses worked around the clock to care for them. 225 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 1: The incubators overheated quickly in the hot sun, fed nothing 226 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: but cow's milk and oatmeal that infant's digestive systems couldn't adjust. 227 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:46,920 Speaker 1: As a result, both incubators and infants were frequently soiled, 228 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 1: drawing thousands of flies. During the length of the fair, 229 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 1: thirty nine of the forty three infants died, and infants 230 00:15:56,440 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: weren't the only humans on display. France had wanted to 231 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 1: not only showcase the city, but to suggest that human 232 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: evolution had peaked at the fair. To demonstrate he hired 233 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: an anthropologist to build a human zoo inside. Visitors passed 234 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:20,440 Speaker 1: exhibits described as most primitive to most advanced. Francis's objective 235 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 1: was to prove that the conquering of land and of 236 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 1: people's considered to be unintelligent uncivilized heathens, had been worthwhile 237 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 1: to their benefit. Even to him, such a display was 238 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: the penultimate celebration of American ingenuity and progress. The fair 239 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 1: paid fifty groups of people from around the world to participate. 240 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 1: Deemed most primitive were Indigenous American, South American and Filipino people's. 241 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 1: These groups were labeled savages and instructed to act as 242 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 1: such for the patrons. While America wasn't the first to 243 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 1: put humans on display, Francis had been determined that St. 244 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:03,880 Speaker 1: Louis's would be the biggest display of human hierarchy. Yet. 245 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 1: The vast villages drew thousands of visitors. For five cents, 246 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:13,159 Speaker 1: patrons could pose for a photograph with an Indian chief. 247 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:16,159 Speaker 1: For another five cents, they could coax a cannibal to 248 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 1: show them his teeth that had been filed into points. 249 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 1: Go to Benga, a man from the booty people of 250 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 1: the Congo who had been purchased from slave traders years 251 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,880 Speaker 1: prior for an exhibition at the Bronx Zoo, wasn't cannibal 252 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 1: at all. Benga and other Africans had been paid to 253 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 1: behave aggressively and appeer warlike. The dances and chants were 254 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 1: often improvised to mimic those in the Native American exhibits. 255 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,919 Speaker 1: The Human Zoo became the talk of the city. A 256 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 1: riot nearly broke out when a rumor spread of dating 257 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 1: occurring between some of the Igorot men in the Filipino 258 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:56,880 Speaker 1: exhibit and white women. Viewers were aghast at the minimal 259 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 1: Native dress. Sporting events leading up to the Olympics drew 260 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 1: even more crowds. To demonstrate how successfully Native Americans had 261 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:10,480 Speaker 1: been assimilated into a more civilized culture, the Fort Shaw 262 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:14,480 Speaker 1: Indian School basketball team showed off their skills, investing every 263 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: team who challenged them. The exposition may have showcased technological, 264 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 1: industrial and other advances, but in terms of human compassion 265 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:29,439 Speaker 1: and equality. There was nothing to be proud of, and 266 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:33,800 Speaker 1: when the Olympic Games began, that continued lack of humanity 267 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 1: disguised as superiority in glory was on full display. Baron 268 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 1: de Pubaton wouldn't attend. He was still harboring resentment that 269 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:51,159 Speaker 1: the games had been moved from Chicago. He later recalled 270 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 1: that the quote Olympiad would match the mediocrity of the town. 271 00:18:56,160 --> 00:19:00,240 Speaker 1: Francis had been successful in creating a fair unlike any other, 272 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:03,959 Speaker 1: and while he had schemed hard to steal the Olympic 273 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:07,359 Speaker 1: Games from Chicago, he didn't consider them the highlight of 274 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 1: the fair. He had failed to secure many of Europe's 275 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:15,439 Speaker 1: best athletes. After all the bad press, Sure, the Games 276 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 1: did have their moments of spectacular performances. Gymnast George iSER, 277 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 1: who had a wooden leg, won three gold medals. Frank 278 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:27,920 Speaker 1: Kegler won medals in wrestling, weightlifting, and tug of war. 279 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 1: James Lightbody from Chicago came away with the gold for 280 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 1: the eight hundred meter dash, the steeple chase, and the 281 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:39,680 Speaker 1: race for which he set a new world record. Two 282 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 1: Irish athletes and a German swimmer also won gold medals, 283 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 1: while Canada took the Golden football. But with the lack 284 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 1: of competitors from other countries, the United States won the 285 00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:54,119 Speaker 1: majority of the events. As a nod to the ancient 286 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:57,679 Speaker 1: Greek Games, the organizers thought a marathon would be the 287 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:01,600 Speaker 1: Pinnacles sporting event. Some of the participants had won or 288 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 1: placed well in the Boston Marathon, while others had competed 289 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 1: in prior Olympic marathons, but oddly most were not runners 290 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:13,440 Speaker 1: at all. Ten had never run an a marathon before entering. 291 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 1: The most experienced runners and favorites were American Sam Miller, 292 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:24,920 Speaker 1: Albert Carey, Arthur Newton, and Thomas Hicks. Another American long shot, 293 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 1: Fred Lours, also joined his countrymen at the starting line, 294 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: as well as two men from the South African Human 295 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 1: Zoo exhibit. A former mailman from Cuba, Felix Carba Hall, 296 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 1: had raised funds to enter. Still flush with money upon 297 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 1: his arrival, he gambled it away and had to walk 298 00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:47,159 Speaker 1: in hitchhike from New Orleans. He hardly seemed ready to compete, 299 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:51,040 Speaker 1: wearing a long sleeved shirt, long dark pants, street shoes, 300 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:56,840 Speaker 1: and a beret. With temperatures in the nineties and stifling humidity. 301 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,920 Speaker 1: The twenty four point eight five mile course and come 302 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 1: at grueling terrain. Runners not only had to deal with 303 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 1: the oppressive heat, but seven hills to some three hundred 304 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:12,199 Speaker 1: feet high with steep ascents, debris and cracked pavement created 305 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 1: trip hazards. Then there were the cars. You see. Officials 306 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 1: hadn't thought to block off the course and the runners 307 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 1: had to dodge cars, wagons, trolleys, trains and pedestrians, making 308 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:28,200 Speaker 1: things worse. Water stops were limited to a water tower 309 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 1: at mile marker six and a well at twelve miles. 310 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:35,399 Speaker 1: The competitors didn't know it, but the marathon was also 311 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 1: a part of an experiment testing the effects of dehydration. 312 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 1: Coaches and doctors drove alongside the runners, often kicking up 313 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:49,440 Speaker 1: dust clouds. Without water, the runners experienced frequent coughing spells. 314 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:53,080 Speaker 1: One runner collapsed from inhaling dust and was taken to 315 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 1: the hospital where he was treated for hemorrhaging. Another runner 316 00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:01,639 Speaker 1: gave up after several bouts of vomiting. Felix maintained the 317 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:06,359 Speaker 1: lead even after stopping to chat with bystanders. He grabbed 318 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:09,160 Speaker 1: two peaches from onlookers and ate them while he ran 319 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 1: further along, he ate apples he had come across in 320 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:15,639 Speaker 1: an orchard, and the apples caused him cramps, and he 321 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:19,160 Speaker 1: sat under a tree to rest. There he fell asleep. 322 00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 1: Sam took the lead but fizzled out with a bad 323 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:26,199 Speaker 1: case of runners cramps. Fred caught a ride in one 324 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 1: of the cars pacing the runners. He cheerfully waved the 325 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:33,679 Speaker 1: other runners in the crowd as he passed. Tom Hicks 326 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:37,399 Speaker 1: begged his assistance for water and received mere drops of 327 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 1: warm water from a sponge, and seeing he had seven 328 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:44,440 Speaker 1: more miles to go, they gave him egg whites laced 329 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:49,119 Speaker 1: with strychnine. The poison is also a stimulant in small doses, 330 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 1: and no rules barring the practice of doping had been implemented. Meanwhile, 331 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:58,359 Speaker 1: Fred Lource, now well rested after riding in a car 332 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 1: for eleven miles, got out and resumed running. He crossed 333 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: the finish line first in just under three hours. The 334 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:10,440 Speaker 1: President Roosevelt's daughter Alice, was on hand to present the medals, 335 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 1: and just as she was about to place the gold 336 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:17,720 Speaker 1: around Fred's neck, someone called him out for cheating. Caught, 337 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:20,879 Speaker 1: Fred told the angry crowd that he had no intention 338 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:25,439 Speaker 1: of accepting the metal. Still on the course, Tom Hicks 339 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 1: plowed onward, though his face had become ashen. He was 340 00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 1: given brandy and sponged down with water. With just two 341 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:36,879 Speaker 1: miles to go, he gave it all he had. Then 342 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 1: the hallucinations set in. He began to lament that the 343 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 1: finish line was still twenty miles away. He begged for 344 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 1: food and a chance to rest. His assistance gave him 345 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:52,240 Speaker 1: more brandy and spiked egg whites. Tom pushed on over 346 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 1: two more hills. He shuffled past the stadium, swaying barely 347 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 1: on his feet. Assistance kept upright until he made it 348 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:05,119 Speaker 1: across the finish line. After he was declared the winner, 349 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 1: doctors finally took him to the hospital. Albert Cray finished 350 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:14,919 Speaker 1: second and Arthur Newton third, with Felix Carba Hall in fourth. 351 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:21,720 Speaker 1: Eighteen other runners failed to finish the race. Tom Hicks survived, 352 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 1: but barely. Another dose of poison would have killed him. 353 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:29,679 Speaker 1: He lost eight pounds during the race. He told reporters 354 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 1: that the course was the worst he'd ever run. Mayor 355 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: Francis achieved his goal of putting St. Louis in the 356 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 1: history books, but probably not the way he expected. The 357 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 1: nineteen o four Games were considered the worst in Olympic history, 358 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:49,120 Speaker 1: and the marathon had the dubious distinction of being not 359 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:53,760 Speaker 1: only the slowest in Olympic history, but also the strangest. 360 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:01,080 Speaker 1: By the time the nineteen o four s More Olympics ended, 361 00:25:01,359 --> 00:25:04,680 Speaker 1: the United States had won more medals than any other country. 362 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:10,840 Speaker 1: Never satisfied, though, David Francis planned more events. For two days, 363 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 1: people from the human Zoo would compete in a variety 364 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 1: of sporting matches such as baseball, growing shop put running, 365 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:22,159 Speaker 1: broad jumps, weightlifting, and tug of war. The head of 366 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:26,359 Speaker 1: the fairs Department of Anthropology, William McGee, believed the people 367 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:32,400 Speaker 1: on display there were intellectually inferior yet physically superior. McGee 368 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:35,680 Speaker 1: was excited about proving out his theory with these events 369 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:41,200 Speaker 1: as experiments. Many of the test subjects lacked formal schooling 370 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:45,600 Speaker 1: and no intelligence, and no intelligence tests were given. McGee 371 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 1: and the organizers expected the participants to compete in sports 372 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:51,840 Speaker 1: that had never been exposed to and with little explanation 373 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:56,600 Speaker 1: of the rules. About a hundred men competed in the events. 374 00:25:56,880 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 1: Women were not permitted. Each was told old to mimic 375 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:05,800 Speaker 1: their white Olympic counterparts. McGee stood on the sidelines, jotting 376 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 1: down data on what he called racial hierarchy. In one 377 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 1: of the sprints, participants stopped before hitting the ribbons run 378 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:16,359 Speaker 1: across the finish line, choosing instead to wait for the 379 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:19,680 Speaker 1: rest of their team. The tug of war didn't appeal 380 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 1: to the contenders, who saw no value in pulling others 381 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 1: into a mud pit. Participants from Uganda were more curious 382 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:30,080 Speaker 1: about the use of a starting gun than in running sprints. 383 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:33,920 Speaker 1: They chose to run backward in Wobbli figure eights rather 384 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:37,240 Speaker 1: than racing to the finish line. In the poll climb, 385 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:40,880 Speaker 1: one man decided to remove his clothing before climbing, while 386 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:45,639 Speaker 1: another man chased away the photographer. Like the marathon, the 387 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: Anthropology days flopped. The participants, although paid, didn't care about 388 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 1: competing against others and what they considered silly games. McGee 389 00:26:55,960 --> 00:27:00,639 Speaker 1: concluded that they were primitive natives, either ignorant, bent on 390 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:04,719 Speaker 1: making a spectacle of the events, or lacking proper incentive. 391 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:10,160 Speaker 1: In the end, all of it, the incubators, the human zoo, 392 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:13,760 Speaker 1: even the sporting events, all of it came across as 393 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 1: more of a side show than a demonstration of humanity. Greed, 394 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:22,480 Speaker 1: it seems, was the anchor holding back the ship of progress. 395 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:26,480 Speaker 1: All we can do today is hope that this won't 396 00:27:26,560 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 1: always be the case. There's more to this story. Stick 397 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 1: around after this brief sponsor break to hear all about it. 398 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:49,320 Speaker 1: As lackluster as the nineteen o four Summer Olympics had been, 399 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:54,040 Speaker 1: nineteen twelve was a different story. After winning the Pentathlon 400 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:58,680 Speaker 1: and Catalan, Jim Thorpe stood for the metal ceremony, King 401 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:01,480 Speaker 1: gust Of the fifth of Eden draped the two gold 402 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:05,440 Speaker 1: medals round Thorpe's neck and pronounced him the world's greatest athlete. 403 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:12,400 Speaker 1: Thorpe's modest reply thanks. He shunned being the center of attention, 404 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:17,200 Speaker 1: declining invitations to parties in his honor. When questioned about 405 00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:20,639 Speaker 1: his lack of celebration, Thorpe replied, I didn't wish to 406 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:25,439 Speaker 1: be gazed upon as a curiosity. He loved sports, but 407 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:31,200 Speaker 1: disliked the spotlight. His elusiveness led to stereotypical stigmas, and 408 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:34,959 Speaker 1: some believed he didn't appreciate the natural and raw talent 409 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:39,560 Speaker 1: gifted him and called him lazy, blaming his native American heritage. 410 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:43,840 Speaker 1: Nothing could be further from the truth. He trained hard, 411 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:47,840 Speaker 1: harder than most athletes. He ran all night through the woods, 412 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:50,440 Speaker 1: often at the heels of his dogs, and since he 413 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:52,240 Speaker 1: was six, he had known how to shoot a gun 414 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:56,440 Speaker 1: and accompanied his father on thirty mile hunting tracks. He 415 00:28:56,560 --> 00:29:00,040 Speaker 1: was an exceptional wrangler. He tamed wild horses, which he 416 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:03,800 Speaker 1: spent hours watching. It would be their fluid movements he 417 00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 1: sought to emulate. To watch him run always brought about 418 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 1: comments positive and negative. He either moved like the wind 419 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:17,000 Speaker 1: or had a certain indifference. Either way, the looseness and 420 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:20,800 Speaker 1: fluidity had copied from nature made him a star athlete. 421 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:25,120 Speaker 1: Along with his training and hard work. When he was 422 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:27,400 Speaker 1: in high school, he broke the school's record for the 423 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 1: high jump while wearing his street clothes. From there, he 424 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:35,400 Speaker 1: played both football and baseball. At twenty four, had entered 425 00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:39,200 Speaker 1: the Olympics out of love for his sweetheart, Iva Miller. 426 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:43,800 Speaker 1: You see, her parents disliked him, Not thinking that his 427 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 1: race had anything to do with their objection, he sought 428 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 1: to prove that an athlete could earn good money. The 429 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:54,280 Speaker 1: two married a year later. In nineteen thirteen the Olympic 430 00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:57,280 Speaker 1: Timitty stripped Thorpe of his medals because he had played 431 00:29:57,320 --> 00:30:01,520 Speaker 1: semi professional baseball before entering the game. He wasn't the 432 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:04,200 Speaker 1: first to do so, some of his white counterparts had 433 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:07,560 Speaker 1: done the same thing without consequence. He wrote a letter 434 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 1: explaining his mistake had been just that, but the Olympic 435 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 1: Committee denied his request to return his medals. When the 436 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:18,200 Speaker 1: word got out about his minor league passed, two professional 437 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:22,240 Speaker 1: offers came in, the New York Giants and St. Louis Cardinals. 438 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:25,600 Speaker 1: Thorpe chose the Giants, who went on to win the 439 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:31,040 Speaker 1: nineteen thirteen League championships. After the Giants lost the World Series, 440 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:35,400 Speaker 1: the team joined the Chicago White Sox in a World tour. Later, 441 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 1: during a game against the Chicago Cubs, Thorpe drove in 442 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 1: the winning run during the tenth inning. By the time 443 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 1: he left baseball, he had ninety one home runs and 444 00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:47,800 Speaker 1: a two fifty two batting average from two hundred and 445 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 1: eighty nine games. Olympic medalist, professional baseball player, high jumper, wrangler, 446 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:58,680 Speaker 1: horse tamer, runner. But that wasn't all. During college, he 447 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:03,920 Speaker 1: excelled at hockey, boxing, lacrosse, swimming, and basketball. It seemed 448 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 1: he could do anything. His first love, though, was football 449 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:11,720 Speaker 1: In high school, Thorpe was a two time All American. 450 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:14,880 Speaker 1: He went on to play for the Ohio Canton Bulldogs, 451 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 1: who won three championships. He also played for several All 452 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:21,200 Speaker 1: American Indian teams as they were called at the time. 453 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 1: Aside from high school and college football, he's known for 454 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 1: his time in what would become the National Football League. 455 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:33,440 Speaker 1: He excelled at passing, catching, tackling, kicking, and punting. He 456 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 1: played for six teams during his career, and in n 457 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:40,680 Speaker 1: when the NFL was first organized, the charter members named 458 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:45,400 Speaker 1: him as league's first president. As the years went on, 459 00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:50,200 Speaker 1: public outcry pressured the Olympic Committee. Besides stripping Jim Thorpe 460 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:52,920 Speaker 1: of his medals, they refused to restore his name in 461 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:55,920 Speaker 1: the records. It had been an act designed to do 462 00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 1: more than just punish him for his pre Olympic status. 463 00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:04,880 Speaker 1: We're using to acknowledge his victories. Was meant to obscure him. 464 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:08,400 Speaker 1: He once told his daughter Grace, why he didn't continue 465 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:12,000 Speaker 1: fighting to defend his reputation in the Olympics. I want him, 466 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:15,080 Speaker 1: he told her, And I know I want him, and 467 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:18,320 Speaker 1: that he did. He had beaten his closest competitor in 468 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:23,000 Speaker 1: the run by five seconds. His record stood until nineteen 469 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:26,600 Speaker 1: seventy two, and in the pouring rain, he had won 470 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:29,320 Speaker 1: the hundred meter dash in a time that remained unequaled 471 00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:33,640 Speaker 1: until nine. He won the high jump and mismatched shoes 472 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:38,200 Speaker 1: since his own mysteriously went missing that morning, and in 473 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:41,360 Speaker 1: the hurdles he said a record that lasted until ninety 474 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:45,200 Speaker 1: eight as well. Even his other competitors said that Thorpe 475 00:32:45,280 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 1: was deserving of the medals. Sadly, Jim Thorpe passed away 476 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:52,240 Speaker 1: in nineteen fifty three at the age of sixty five 477 00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:57,720 Speaker 1: from heart failure. He had been living in poverty. Two 478 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:00,880 Speaker 1: years after his death, the NFL's and EP Award was 479 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:04,880 Speaker 1: named the Jim Thorpe Trophy. In nineteen sixty three, the 480 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:08,160 Speaker 1: Associated Press named him the best athlete since the turn 481 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:11,800 Speaker 1: of the century. That same year, the NFL inducted him 482 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:16,800 Speaker 1: into the Hall of Fame. In nineteen two, biographers Robert 483 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:21,240 Speaker 1: Wheeler and Florence Ridland gained assistance from Congress. The two 484 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:24,840 Speaker 1: provided evidence that the International Olympic Committee hadn't followed their 485 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:28,160 Speaker 1: own rules in rescinding medals. They had waited a year. 486 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:32,280 Speaker 1: The limit for reviewing medals is just thirty days. In 487 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:36,320 Speaker 1: three the committee delivered replicas of his medals to his family. 488 00:33:37,680 --> 00:33:40,800 Speaker 1: Though they had reinstated his medals, the committee listed him 489 00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:44,480 Speaker 1: as co winner and refused to overturn the expudgment of 490 00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:48,960 Speaker 1: his record breaking winds. Their excuse, they claimed that his 491 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:52,960 Speaker 1: winds may be unofficial since Native Americans were not recognized 492 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:57,280 Speaker 1: as American citizens until nineteen twenty four, twelve years after 493 00:33:57,360 --> 00:34:02,840 Speaker 1: Thorpe competed. Even today, though he continues to make history. 494 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:06,120 Speaker 1: Since nineteen eighty six, the Jim Thorpe Award has been 495 00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 1: given the top defensive back in college football, and in 496 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:12,840 Speaker 1: two thousand one, Thorpe was named the greatest athlete of 497 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:18,719 Speaker 1: the century. In several groups headed up by Picture Works Entertainment, 498 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:22,040 Speaker 1: which is developing a movie about Thorpe's life, came together 499 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:24,880 Speaker 1: to circulate a petition for the Olympic Committee to list 500 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:27,560 Speaker 1: Thorpe as the sole winner of the events he won 501 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:32,440 Speaker 1: in nineteen twelve. After all, the government's refusal to acknowledge 502 00:34:32,560 --> 00:34:36,000 Speaker 1: Native Americans rights as citizens until nineteen twenty four is 503 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:41,960 Speaker 1: itself an injustice? Why punished Thorpe for it? Jim Thorpe 504 00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:46,160 Speaker 1: is buried in Pennsylvania, the town of Maosh Chung bought 505 00:34:46,200 --> 00:34:49,120 Speaker 1: his remains from his third wife, who needed the money 506 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:52,200 Speaker 1: at the time. They erected a monument to him, where 507 00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:56,680 Speaker 1: visitors still flocked to gaze upon the memoria. His children 508 00:34:56,680 --> 00:34:59,800 Speaker 1: have fought for their father's remains to be reinterred where 509 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:03,919 Speaker 1: he grew up on sac and Fox Nation Land in Oklahoma. 510 00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:06,719 Speaker 1: They appealed to the Supreme Court that their father is 511 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:12,680 Speaker 1: not a museum piece, and sadly, on October the case 512 00:35:12,840 --> 00:35:15,239 Speaker 1: came to an end when the court refused to hear 513 00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 1: the matter. Perhaps the words of Mayor David Francis on 514 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:24,279 Speaker 1: opening day of the nineteen four World's Fair are appropriate, 515 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:28,359 Speaker 1: after all, May we all learn our lessons that were 516 00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:32,600 Speaker 1: taught here and gather from them the inspiration necessary for 517 00:35:32,719 --> 00:35:46,520 Speaker 1: greater accomplishments. American Shadows is hosted by Lauren Vogelbaum. This 518 00:35:46,560 --> 00:35:50,520 Speaker 1: episode was written by Michelle Muto, researched by Ali Steed, 519 00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:54,320 Speaker 1: and produced by Miranda Hawkins and Trevor Young, with executive 520 00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:59,080 Speaker 1: producers Aaron Mackey, Alex Williams, and Matt Frederick. To learn 521 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:02,080 Speaker 1: more about the show, visit griman mild dot com for 522 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:05,400 Speaker 1: more podcasts from iHeart Radio visit the iHeart Radio app, 523 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:16,759 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, M